World Cup TV deal ‘advantageous’ for FIFA
THE T V broadca st i ng r ig ht s dea l agreed for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, which is under investigation by Sw iss prosec utors, was “adva nt ageous for FIFA”, a beIN spokesman claimed on Saturday.
“The financial conditions were the most advantageous for FIFA,” the spokesman said, after it was announced on Thursday that beIN Media chief and PSG chairman Nasser al-Khelaifi was under investigation over the sale of the rights.
Although no official figure for the broadcasting contract has been offi- cially announced – or even the deal itself – the cost is thought to be considerably more expensive than previous agreements.
The contract covers broadcasting rights for the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) region for the tournaments.
Khelaifi was placed under investigation along with disgraced former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man at FIFA until both were drummed out of world football’s governing body.
The beIN spokesman said the deal was signed off by FIFA’s executive com- mittee, the governing body’s main decision-making body at the time.
Despite apparently approving the deal, however, FIFA has also stated that it is investigating Khelaifi over the media rights issue.
The beIN spokesman denied any wrongdoing on the part of the Qatarbased broadcaster.
“The allegation of corruption is totally unfounded because we didn’t have to compete for the MENA rights for 2026/2030,” he said. “There was no competition.”
Khelaifi, who has strong connections to Qatar’s royal family, and Valcke also face accusations that a luxury Sardinian villa was put at the disposal of the former FIFA man, who is serving a 10-year ban from all football-related activity.
The villa, set in lush grounds on the Mediterranean island and which has an estimated value of € 7 million ($8.3 million), is owned by an international real estate agency.
The investigation comes in the wake of Valcke’s appearance at the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday to overturn his ban.