U.S. Seizes 1,000+ Domains in World Cup Piracy Crackdown

U.S. and international law enforcement agencies have seized or blocked thousands of websites for illegally streaming the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a major crackdown on digital piracy during the global tournament. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday, July 20, that it had seized more than 1,000 internet domains in the United States as part of "Operation Offsides," with hundreds more blocked across Latin America in a parallel effort called "Operation Red Card."

The enforcement actions, led by Homeland Security Investigations and the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, targeted websites providing unauthorized live streams of matches in violation of copyright laws. Officials said the initiative aims to protect intellectual property rights and shield consumers from security risks commonly associated with illicit streaming platforms, such as malware and data theft. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva stated the sustained effort confirms the administration's commitment to intellectual property rights and to the success of the World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The crackdown involved extensive international...