US coordinates major takedown of illegal World Cup 2026 streaming websites
- Thảo Nguyên
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
The excitement of the World Cup 2026 finals is not only electrifying football pitches but has also become the focal point of large-scale cybersecurity operations. Recently, international authorities took decisive action to curb the rampant online copyright infringement of the tournament's broadcasts.
Massive crackdown results in seizure of nearly 400 domains
The Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently seized nearly 400 website addresses (domains) dedicated to illegally hosting live streams of World Cup 2026 matches. The operations of these websites were determined to be in severe violation of U.S. copyright laws.
To successfully execute this wide-reaching operation, U.S. authorities collaborated with multiple international partners through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) network. The targets included servers and domains hosted across several countries, including:
Peru
Bulgaria
Croatia
Romania
Poland
Colombia
Currently, when users attempt to access these seized pirate websites, they are met with a banner notification reading: "This action has been taken to protect consumers and enforce intellectual property rights worldwide."
Reportedly, the list of infringing domains was compiled based on information provided by the U.S., with support and coordination from soccer's governing body FIFA, major media conglomerates, and organizations including beIN Media Group, NBCUniversal, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) under the Motion Picture Association, the UFC, and Warner Bros.
Illegal streaming: Lurking risks for football fans
Beyond the legal violations committed by website operators, accessing pirate streams puts the viewers themselves directly in harm's way.
Expert warning: Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington field office under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stated that these pirate streaming entities not only violate intellectual property laws but also expose viewers to underlying threats. Users risk malware infections or leaking personal information and financial accounts due to unsecure network connections.
Shortly before this, a massive sports piracy network associated with the illegal streaming platform PirloTV also came into the crosshairs. ACE, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), UC3, and Mexican authorities successfully dismantled 44 domains belonging to this network. This network was immensely popular, drawing over 950 million visits annually, with the Mexican market alone accounting for approximately 230 million.
PirloTV operated by aggregating and embedding links to illegal live streams, primarily football matches. The system was notorious for evading authorities by continuously migrating to new domains after each crackdown. According to reports, many individuals chose PirloTV channels to watch World Cup 2026 on mobile devices. This trend stemmed from platform-specific access restrictions and fragmented broadcasting rights, which complicate user access to official and legitimate content sources.
Warning over a matrix of tournament phishing and scams
Alongside pirate streaming sites, a wave of scams capitalizing on World Cup 2026 is rapidly surging across the digital landscape. As early as May, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning regarding websites impersonating FIFA ahead of the tournament. The tactics employed by these sites involve selling fake tickets and offering non-existent hospitality packages, subsequently executing various scams and stealing the personal and financial data of fans.
Most recently, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported that its systems have detected over 336 domains impersonating official World Cup information sources since the tournament kicked off on June 11. Experts issued a stern warning: a single careless click on these fraudulent links could result in financial loss, personal data exposure, or becoming a victim of sophisticated cyberattack vectors.
The international authorities' sweeping campaign to dismantle pirate domains stands as a robust effort to protect tournament copyrights and ensure fan safety. Amid the sea of online scams surrounding World Cup 2026, staying vigilant and choosing official viewing channels remains the best defense for viewers to safeguard their assets and personal data.
Reference: Vietnamnet
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