The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday the seizure of nearly 400 internet domains that were streaming FIFA World Cup matches without authorization, timing the action to coincide with the start of the tournament’s knockout round.
The operation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and coordinated with the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Network of U.S. prosecutors. FIFA, NBCUniversal, and other rights holders helped identify the targeted domains.
Beyond copyright infringement, officials emphasized the security risks these platforms pose to viewers. Eric Weindorf, special agent in charge of HSI’s Washington field office, noted that illegal streaming sites can expose users to malware attacks and insecure connections capable of compromising personal and financial data.
Geographic Reach
The takedowns were not limited to U.S.-hosted infrastructure. According to the DOJ, servers and domains linked to illegal match broadcasts were targeted in Peru and Bulgaria, both described as known centers of online piracy activity. Additional disruptions supported by ICHIP occurred in Croatia, Romania, Poland, and Colombia.
Broader Context
The action builds on a similar HSI-led operation during the 2022 World Cup, which resulted in the seizure of more than 70 sites. This year’s effort represents a significant scale-up in enforcement scope.
Illegal sports streams are commonly distributed through Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services. Law enforcement has previously targeted large illicit IPTV operations, and investigations have demonstrated that such services can generate millions of dollars in revenue.
The timing of the seizures aligns with peak demand, as knockout-stage matches draw substantially larger audiences than group-stage games, making enforcement pressure at this stage particularly disruptive to illegal operators.