Justice department takes down 400 illegal World Cup streaming sites in global piracy raid

In a massive crackdown on digital piracy, the US government says that it has seized nearly 400 internet domains that were being used to illegally stream live World Cup matches. The officials announced that the federal operation was designed to disrupt international criminal networks profiting from the global popularity of the tournament.According to a report by news agency Reuters, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that the illegal streaming sites were identified and targeted with the direct assistance of football’s international governing body, FIFA, alongside major media conglomerates, including NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Global piracy network interrupted

According to federal prosecutors, the seized domains were engineered to broadcast copyright-protected, real-time streams of World Cup matches exactly as they were being played and aired by official broadcasting partners.The illicit operations stretched beyond US borders as the DOJ confirmed that servers and domains tied to the unauthorised broadcasts were physically targeted and taken down in Peru and Bulgaria. Additional coordinated digital disruptions took place across Europe and South America, specifically hitting illegal operations in Croatia, Romania, Poland and Colombia.Federal authorities warned that these pirated streams pose severe security risks to the everyday sports fans who click on them.

“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,” said Eric Weindorf, a special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

High viewership fuels piracy demand

The federal crackdown comes as the World Cup enjoys global attention. Co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, the tournament kicked off on June 11, with matches scheduled across 16 host cities through July 19. According to data released by FIFA, stadium attendance for this tournament has already set an all-time record.