Qatar’s ownership of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has made the club a focal point of geopolitical tensions in France, particularly involving rivals like the UAE. Qatar has invested heavily in France, owning stakes in major companies like Total, LVMH, and Vivendi, and iconic assets such as the Paris Saint-Germain.
The UAE’s campaigns in West Europe reflects a ruthless geopolitical rivalry with Qatar, exploiting Islamophobia to paint Doha as a terrorism sponsor. The Abu Dhabi Secrets reveal a willingness to undermine European democratic processes, yet the UAE’s own human rights record escapes similar scrutiny in France, partly due to its subtler lobbying
Qatar’s beIN Sports, which holds key broadcasting rights, faced piracy by UAE/Saudi-linked BeoutQ during the 2017–2021 GCC crisis. BeoutQ mocked Qatar’s leadership and illegally streamed content, harming beIN’s revenue. In March 2025, the French investigative TV program Complément d’enquête launched a campaign targeting Nasser Al Khelaifi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and beIN Media Group.
The exposé, titled Scandale et Gros Sous: Les Hors Jeu du PSG (Scandal and Big Money: PSG’s Offsides), has ignited a media storm, alleging power scandals, financial improprieties, and conflicts of interest involving one of football’s most influential figures. The episode centers on claims that Al Khelaifi is at the heart of a controversy surrounding TV rights for the French championship.
The timing of these revelations coincides with his February 2025 indictment for “complicity in abuse of power” alongside Arnaud Lagardère, a prominent media figure. The legal case places Al Khelaifi in the spotlight, raising questions about his governance practices and business strategies. The program accuses him of employing questionable tactics, including covert diplomacy and strategic power plays, to maintain his influence over PSG and broader football operations.
The campaign gained significant traction online, originating on X (formerly Twitter), where over 100 tweets amplified the narrative against Al Khelaifi. A viral post suggested that he had challenged certain working methods just as Complément d’enquête aired its investigative piece. The online push appears to involve coordinated efforts, including bot accounts, to disseminate damaging claims about his leadership.
The agenda behind this campaign seems to be actively promoted by networks with potential ties to external interests. RMC Sports, a subsidiary of Altice France, has been identified as a key player in amplifying the allegations. Altice France is majority-owned by Patrick Drahi, a French-Israeli billionaire with investments in Abu Dhabi’s ADQ Developmental Holding Company.
ADQ is chaired by Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan, who is brother of UAE’s president Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. In the past, Tahnoon bin Zayed has led multiple campaigns against Qatar and PSG. It includes the famous ‘Abu Dhabi Secrets’, which aimed to stir fear around Qatar being a terror financing state and Islamophobia. It can be well speculated that the campaign is influenced by external entities like UAE, seeking to undermine Al Khelaifi’s reputation.
Following Complément d’enquête’s initial tweet, major media outlets such as France TV, L’Équipe, RMC Sports, and Tribune Populaire quickly published articles echoing the allegations. This coordinated media response has intensified scrutiny on Al Khelaifi’s role within PSG and beIN Media Group. While Complément d’enquête is known for its investigative rigor, this campaign is probably a part of a broader effort to tarnish Al Khelaifi’s reputation rather than uncover objective truths.
*The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of TDI.Â
Amelia Vance
Amelia Vance is a skilled Media Researcher specializing in audience insights, media trends, and content strategy. She is passionate about data-driven storytelling, which shapes impactful narratives and strategies that drive media innovation and engagement.
