DOJ Seizes Nearly 400 Domains Illegally Streaming 2026 FIFA World Cup Matches

The U.S. Justice Department seized close to 400 websites streaming World Cup matches without authorization. The operation, dubbed "Operation Offsides," targeted global piracy networks.

Nearly 400 Domains Taken Down in World Cup Streaming Crackdown

The Department of Justice seized close to 400 internet domains used to illegally broadcast FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in real time, DOJ Justice News reported. The domains were streaming copyright-protected content without authorization, in violation of U.S. intellectual property law, according to an affidavit filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.

"We have seized hundreds of domains, used to illegally stream World Cup matches for profit, to disrupt the international networks that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. Duva added that the operation reflects the department's commitment to intellectual property rights and the United States' responsibility as a host nation to shield the tournament from criminal exploitation.

Operation Offsides

The enforcement action is part of Operation Offsides, led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (NIPRCC). Ivan J. Arvelo, director of NIPRCC, said the unauthorized broadcast of World Cup matches "fuels criminal organizations" and that the agency — working with law enforcement and private sector partners — identified and seized hundreds of domains distributing stolen copyrighted content.

HSI special agents working out of the Washington Field Office confirmed the seized domains were actively broadcasting matches without permission. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf warned that illegal streaming sites carry risks beyond copyright infringement: "These streamers not only violate copyright laws but also expose viewers to potential threats — including malware attacks and unsecure connections that can compromise personal and financial data."

Broad Coalition of Partners

The seized domains were identified with assistance from FIFA, which holds exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2026 — co-hosted across cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Additional supporting information came from beIN Media Group, NBCUniversal, the Motion Picture Association's Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Bros.

International coordination was handled through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Network of U.S. prosecutors. ICHIP-trained officials participated in enforcement actions across multiple countries. DOJ prosecutors based in São Paulo, Brazil, and Bucharest, Romania, as well as the ICHIP unit for Internet-Based Fraud and Public Health in Washington, D.C., provided additional support. Senior Counsel Brian Mund, Assistant Deputy Chief Adrienne Rose, and Acting Deputy Chief Christopher Merriam of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer for the Eastern District of Virginia, are assisting with the case.

CCIPS Track Record

CCIPS coordinates cybercrime and intellectual property prosecutions with domestic and international law enforcement, frequently in partnership with private industry. Since 2020, the section has secured convictions of more than 180 cybercriminals and IP offenders, and obtained court orders for the return of more than $350 million in victim funds.

The Justice Department's ICHIP program also provides technical assistance on intellectual property and cybercrime to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners. The program is jointly administered by OPDAT — the Criminal Division's Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training — and CCIPS, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

Source: DOJ Justice News