Qatari Power Broker Divides French Football in Bid to Save It
Nasser Al-Khelaifi helped seal a crucial deal for French football, but some rival owners say the PSG president had a conflict of interest
Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring a goal during a French L1 football match at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on May 12.
Photographer: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
An 11th-hour broadcasting deal to safeguard the finances of France’s elite football clubs is casting Nasser Al-Khelaifi, one of the sport’s most influential figures, as both hero and villain.
On a phone call in early July, Al-Khelaifi, president of reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain FC, persuaded the Ukrainian-born billionaire Len Blavatnik to increase an offer to show French Ligue 1 games on his sports streaming platform Dazn Group Ltd.