Authorities across the Western Hemisphere launched an unprecedented assault on illegal streaming during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, seizing or blocking almost 3,000 internet domains linked to unauthorised broadcasts.
The crackdown unfolded throughout the tournament under two coordinated campaigns: Operation Offsides in the United States and Operation Red Card across Latin America.
American authorities seized more than 1,000 domains, while Colombia blocked 1,140. Another 830 were targeted across Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and the Dominican Republic.
More than 1,000 domains seized in the US
According to the US Department of Justice’s official announcement, the American total was reached through three separate enforcement actions during the tournament.
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The first operation, announced on June 26, seized almost 400 domains. Two further rounds lifted the overall number beyond 1,000 by the day after the World Cup final.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations’ Washington field office and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. HSI is the investigative arm of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The sustained effort to seize more than a thousand domains dedicated to illegally streaming the World Cup confirms the administration’s commitment to intellectual property rights and to the success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said.
The wording is important: the operation protected the World Cup that concluded on July 19, 2026. The tournament was not still “on the horizon,” as some reports incorrectly suggested.
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Piracy operation spreads across Latin America
Operation Red Card extended the campaign into South America and the Caribbean.
Authorities blocked 1,140 domains in Colombia, 309 in Brazil, 256 in the Dominican Republic, 223 in Ecuador, 28 in Peru and 14 in Argentina. Together with the American seizures, those figures produce a total of more than 2,970 domains.
Colombian officials also carried out simultaneous raids in Bogotá, Soacha, Maríalabaja, Manatí and Sincerín.
Four alleged members of a group called Los Ciberinfiltrados were arrested. Authorities claim the group had illegally accessed telecommunications systems since 2024 and sold pirated content, including World Cup matches, using stolen or fraudulent credentials, VPNs, intercepted security codes and manipulated corporate profiles.
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The arrests remain allegations unless and until the suspects are convicted.
A separate Colombian campaign against counterfeit sports clothing involved 13 search-and-seizure operations and resulted in 11 arrests and convictions, according to the Justice Department.
Authorities warn of wider cybercrime risks
Officials presented the campaign as more than a defence of broadcasting revenue.
“The unauthorised broadcast of World Cup matches violates intellectual property rights and fuels criminal organisations,” NIPRCC director Ivan J. Arvelo said.
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Investigators also warned that illegal streaming platforms can expose viewers to malware, payment fraud and data theft. Some piracy networks use apparently free streams to direct users towards malicious advertisements or compromise their devices.
The domains were identified with assistance from FIFA. Additional information was supplied by beIN Media Group, NBCUniversal, the Motion Picture Association’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, the UFC and Warner Bros.
Industry claims billions are at stake
Sports organisations have long argued that illegal streaming causes substantial financial damage, although estimates should not be treated as confirmed revenue losses.
Andrew Cohen’s report for Front Office Sports cited an industry estimate suggesting that piracy costs global sport up to $28 billion in potential additional revenue annually. The figure came from leagues campaigning for stronger enforcement and therefore represents an estimate of possible lost income rather than audited losses.
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Piracy sites can also return quickly under new names or alternative domains, meaning the seizure of a web address does not necessarily dismantle the people, servers or advertising networks behind an illegal operation.
Nevertheless, the scale of Operation Offsides and Operation Red Card represents a significant escalation. The message from authorities is clear: future global tournaments will be accompanied by an increasingly coordinated attempt to disrupt illegal broadcasts while matches are still being played.
