Over 1,000 illegal World Cup streaming sites shut down in US, similar number blocked in Colombia

More than 1,000 illegal streaming websites were taken offline in the United States during the recent tournament, and a comparable number were blocked in Colombia, according to statements from law‑enforcement agencies. The coordinated effort, carried out by the U.S. Department of Justice in partnership with the Copyright Office and private‑sector internet service providers, targeted platforms that offered unauthorized live feeds of the event’s matches. Colombian authorities, working through the National Police’s cybercrime unit, issued similar takedown orders and directed local ISPs to restrict access to the identified sites.

The shutdowns were executed through a combination of court injunctions, domain seizures and network‑level blocking, aiming to protect the intellectual‑property rights of broadcasters and to curb revenue loss from piracy. Officials noted that the rapid response was facilitated by real‑time monitoring tools that flagged high‑traffic infringing streams as the tournament progressed. While the actions disrupted a sizable segment of the illicit streaming market, authorities cautioned that the fight against online piracy remains ongoing, with efforts expected to continue throughout the remainder of the competition and beyond.