Thousands of websites taken down for illegal World Cup streams
The US Department of Justice has seized or blocked nearly 3,000 websites for illegally streaming 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. The enforcement actions, dubbed 'Operation Offsides' and 'Operation Red Card,' aim to protect intellectual property rights.
Why it matters
The crackdown reflects the massive economic impact of digital piracy on sports broadcasting rights and the increasing scale of global enforcement efforts.
Image source, Getty Images By Kali Hays Technology reporter Published 20 July 2026 Almost 3,000 websites have been blocked or seized for illegally streaming World Cup matches, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has said.
More than 1,000 domains were shut down in the US alone during the tournament, with a similar number blocked in Colombia.
Enforcement agencies in America and across South America carried out the action under investigations named "operation offsides" and "operation red card".
Ivan J. Arvelo, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (NIPRCC), said unauthorised broadcasting of World Cup matches violated intellectual property rights and "fuels criminal organizations".
The DOJ said at the end of last month it had taken down 400 webpages over illegal World Cup streaming. Now hundreds more have been taken down or blocked.
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