Thousands of websites taken down for illegal World Cup streams
The US Department of Justice announced that nearly 3,000 websites were blocked or seized for illegally streaming World Cup matches. Over 1,000 domains were shut down in the US alone, with a similar number blocked in Colombia. Enforcement actions, named 'Operation Offsides' and 'Operation Red Card', were carried out by US and South American agencies. The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (NIPRCC) stated that unauthorized broadcasting violates intellectual property rights and fuels criminal organizations. In Colombia, four members of the cybercriminal group 'Los Ciberinfiltrados' were arrested for illegally distributing World Cup access. Additionally, 830 websites were taken down across Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. Police also conducted raids on counterfeit sports clothing, leading to 11 arrests and convictions. The crackdown was supported by FIFA, beIN Media Group, NBC Universal, and others.
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