The United States Department of Justice says it seized more than 1,000 online domains used to illegally stream FIFA World Cup matches.
The seizures happened in three waves during the tournament. According to an affidavit, the domains offered users copyright-protected content without permission.
“Streaming content from illicit websites opens your devices to unknown risks. Criminals operating these unauthorized platforms are already willing to break the law when they stream copyrighted World Cup games; they might also be planning to inject malware or steal your payment information,” said Deputy Executive Associate Director Matthew Millhollin of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Protect your online presence and enjoy the finals with official streaming partners.”
Illegal streaming wasn’t just happening in the U.S. – Law enforcement across the Western Hemisphere cracked down on the issue for the tournament, with help from the Justice Department’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program.
These coordinated actions resulted in the blocking of hundreds of illegal streaming sites, including 14 in Argentina, 223 in Ecuador, 28 in Peru, 309 in Brazil, 256 in the Dominican Republic, and 1,140 in Colombia.
Colombian authorities also conducted 13 nationwide search-and-seizure operations targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit sports apparel. 11 people were arrested and convicted.
An ICHIP-mentored cybercrime prosecutorial team from the Colombian Attorney General’s Office also arrested four members of the cybercriminal group Los Ciberinfiltrados. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, this group has illegally accessed telecommunication systems and sold pirated streaming content, including World Cup matches, via fraudulent credentials, VPNs, interception of security codes, and manipulation of corporate system profiles since 2024.
The World Cup ended on Sunday, with Spain defeating Argentina, 1-0.