US Seizes Nearly 400 Illegal World Cup Streaming Domains in Major Anti Piracy Operation

US authorities have seized nearly 400 domains accused of illegally streaming live matches from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking one of the largest enforcement actions against sports piracy linked to the tournament. The operation, called Operation Offsides, is reported to be around five times larger than the comparable crackdown during the 2022 World Cup.

The seizure effort targets websites that offered unauthorised access to live football broadcasts. Authorities say many of these services also present serious security risks, as illegal streaming platforms can expose visitors to malware, deceptive advertisements, and tools designed to steal personal or financial information.

The 2026 World Cup is being hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, giving US agencies a stronger role in pursuing sites and infrastructure connected to illegal streams. Investigators reportedly traced parts of the operation to servers located in Peru and Bulgaria, while other countries supported related enforcement activity.

Operation Offsides Targets Hundreds of Streaming Domains at Once

Rather than removing one site at a time, authorities moved against hundreds of domains in a larger coordinated action. This approach is intended to disrupt operators that regularly switch web addresses, create mirror sites, or move visitors to replacement domains after a shutdown.

The seizure warrants were reportedly connected to the Eastern District of Virginia and involved several enforcement and rights protection groups. The scale of the action reflects the challenge of stopping piracy networks that can quickly reappear under new names.

The operation is still active, meaning further site seizures or action against operators could follow during the tournament.

Illegal Streaming Sites Can Carry Serious Security Risks

The biggest risk is not limited to watching an unauthorised match. Many illegal sports streaming sites rely on aggressive advertising networks, misleading pop ups, fake play buttons, and redirects to generate income.

A person may click a video player, an unmute button, or a fake verification prompt and be redirected through several pages without realizing what is happening. In some cases, those chains can lead to malware capable of stealing login details, browser data, payment information, or other sensitive files.

Reports have previously linked illegal streaming platforms to large scale malicious advertising campaigns that affected both personal and workplace devices. This makes the issue more serious than a simple copyright dispute, especially for people using the same computer for banking, work, school, or online shopping.

Authorities have warned that these sites can expose viewers to malicious software and financial theft tools.

Why Sports Piracy Remains Difficult to Stop

Domain seizures can remove access to a site, but illegal operators often prepare backup domains before enforcement happens. They may also rely on social media pages, messaging groups, search rankings, and cloned websites to bring viewers back after a shutdown.

That is why enforcement agencies increasingly target infrastructure, payment systems, advertising networks, and the people operating the services instead of focusing only on individual web addresses.

For football fans, the safest option remains using official broadcasters and licensed streaming services. Those services may cost more, but they avoid the legal uncertainty and security dangers that frequently surround piracy sites.

Operation Offsides shows that authorities are treating World Cup streaming piracy as both a copyright issue and a cybersecurity concern.