The U.S. Department of Justice has seized nearly 400 internet domains accused of illegally streaming FIFA World Cup matches, in what officials describe as one of the largest anti-piracy operations ever carried out during the tournament.
Announced on Friday, the enforcement action targeted websites that allegedly offered unauthorized live broadcasts of World Cup games, violating U.S. copyright laws. The crackdown comes as the United States, Canada, and Mexico host the global football competition.
Investigators identified the domains with assistance from FIFA and major media companies, including NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the Justice Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents verified that the websites were actively streaming World Cup matches without authorization before obtaining federal seizure warrants from a court in Virginia.
The operation, known as Operation Offsides, is part of a broader international campaign to dismantle online piracy networks. In addition to the U.S. seizures, authorities took action against servers and domains in Peru and Bulgaria, while law enforcement agencies in Croatia, Romania, Poland, and Colombia carried out related enforcement efforts with support from international partners.
“We have seized hundreds of domains used to illegally stream World Cup matches for profit, disrupting the international networks that exploit the global popularity of the World Cup,” Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva said in a statement.
Source: Politico.com Edited By Bernie
