U.S. Justice Department leads global crackdown on illegal World Cup streams

A coordinated anti‑piracy operation dubbed “Operation Tarjeta Roja” has led to the rapid shutdown of roughly 400 websites distributing unauthorized live streams of World Cup matches. The effort, driven by the U.S. Department of Justice and supported by Europol, the London police, and prosecutorial agencies in several European states, resulted in court orders that require internet providers to block access to domains hosted in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and elsewhere. Major platforms such as Google have de‑indexed thousands of links, while social‑media services including TikTok, Twitch, Facebook and Instagram saw accounts removed in real time. The initiative aims to protect broadcasting rights and deter the malware risks associated with pirate sites.

Meanwhile, the Real Club Recreativo de Tenis in Huelva, Spain, rearranged its schedule for the 101st Copa del Rey de Tenis to accommodate the highly‑anticipated Spain‑Belgium World Cup match. The tournament paused its semifinals to broadcast the football game on large screens before resuming play later that night, illustrating how the World Cup’s schedule is reshaping other sporting events.