The U.S. Justice Department has seized more than 1,000 websites and blocked 1,970 domains used to stream FIFA World Cup 2026 matches without authorization.
Law enforcement authorities identified the seized domains using leads provided by U.S. authorities, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the Motion Picture Association’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), and multiple entertainment networks, including beIN Media Group, NBCUniversal, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Bros.
These seizures are part of several joint law enforcement actions based on investigations by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington.
The Justice Department’s Criminal Division seized over a thousand domains as part of Operation Offsides, a joint law enforcement action led by the IPR Center in coordination with HSI Washington and involving 14 partners across 54 countries, including nearly 400 web domains by the end of last month.
“Operation Offsides is part of the Department’s ongoing effort to protect copyright while reducing the risk to American consumers from the malicious software embedded in many illicit streaming services,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva.
“These streamers not only violate copyright laws but also expose viewers to potential threats — including malware attacks and unsecure connections that can compromise personal and financial data,” added HSI Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf.
In coordination with the Justice Department’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property program, law enforcement authorities also carried out “Operation Red Card,” blocking hundreds of illegal streaming sites in Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia.
A second phase of Operation Red Card launched July 10 in Colombia also led to the arrest of four members of the Los Ciberinfiltrados cybercriminal group, charged with illegally accessing telecommunications systems and selling pirated streaming content since at least 2024.
“The unauthorized broadcast of World Cup matches violates intellectual property rights and fuels criminal organizations,” noted IPR Center director Ivan J. Arvelo. “Through Operation Offsides and strong partnerships with law enforcement and the private sector, we identified and seized hundreds of domains, disrupting those who steal and distribute copyrighted content.”
The announcement comes after the FBI’s warning in May that fake websites impersonating FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup were selling fake tickets and hospitality packages, stealing personal and financial information, and pushing other scams and fraud attempts related to the event.
In June, Mexican authorities also shut down 44 domains linked to the illegal PirloTV streaming platform and a major sports piracy ring. Collectively, these domains generated over 950 million visits every year, including around 230 million visits from Mexico alone.
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