The US government just made roughly 400 websites disappear. The Justice Department announced on June 26, 2026, the seizure of nearly 400 internet domains caught illegally streaming live FIFA World Cup matches, in one of the largest single enforcement actions against sports piracy ever conducted.
The operation targeted sites that were pulling in revenue by rebroadcasting matches in real time, without paying a cent to the rights holders who spent billions securing those broadcast licenses.
What actually happened
The DOJ identified the seized domains with direct assistance from FIFA, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros., all of whom hold significant financial stakes in ensuring the 2026 World Cup reaches viewers only through legitimate channels.
Investigators traced the infrastructure behind these piracy operations to servers based in Peru and Bulgaria.
