Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been charged in Switzerland for criminal offenses around the awarding of media rights for various World Cups and Confederations Cups, Eurasia Diary reports citing CNN.
Former FIFA secretary general Jerôme Valcke has been charged by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) with accepting bribes, several counts of aggravated criminal mismanagement and falsifying documents, while Al-Khelaifi has been charged with inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement.
A third accused, an unnamed businessman, has also been charged with bribery.
Al-Khelaifi is also the chairman of BeIN Media Group, a sports and entertainment network based in Qatar, and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee.
"After an exhaustive three-year investigation, where I have fully and openly cooperated with the Public Prosecutor in Switzerland, I am pleased that all charges of bribery in connection with the 2026 and 2030 World Cups have been dropped," Al-Khelaifi said in a statement.
"While a secondary technical charge remains outstanding, I have every expectation this will be proven completely groundless and without any substance whatsoever, in the same way as the primary case."