The rampant rise of illegal football streaming is causing a significant headache for pay-TV providers and rights holders in Latin America. As piracy grows, Europe’s top leagues, especially Spain’s La Liga, are among the most brutal hit.

A Fight Against Audiovisual Fraud

In the opulent Palacio Duhau hotel in Buenos Aires, La Liga launched its campaign against audiovisual fraud, signaling the severity of illegal football streaming in the region. “They are stealing our product,” Javier Tebas, La Liga’s president, declared to DW, directly accusing U.S. tech companies like X, Cloudflare, and Google of enabling piracy by refusing to cooperate.

The stakes are high, with piracy threatening profits and livelihoods. Hernan Donnari, CEO of 1190 Sports, a media company and rights holder, told DW, “This is also about jobs that are at risk.”

Illegal streaming services offer live football matches for a fraction of the price of legitimate subscriptions, drawing millions of fans in economically struggling regions like Latin America. In Argentina, more than half the people live in poverty. Piracy offers a simple option for football fans who want to enjoy Europe’s top leagues.

The Heavy Toll on the Industry

Illegal streaming isn’t just a niche activity; it’s a global phenomenon causing massive economic losses. A March 2021 study by Synamedia revealed that video piracy costs the international entertainment industry $28 billion annually. The issue is particularly severe in live events, where piracy thrives. According to the rights protection agency APAA, pay-TV operators lost €3.2 billion in 2021 due to IPTV piracy alone, while illegal operators raked in around €1 billion in profits.

This is no longer the work of small-time offenders. Oliver Pribramsky, head of Rights Management, Technologies & Archive at the German Football League (DFL), explained to DW how organized crime has taken over video piracy. “It’s no longer about individuals with a Robin Hood mindset. Organized crime has discovered video piracy as a new business model,” he said.

Piracy attracts people due to its high profits and fewer risks than illegal activities such as drug smuggling. Pribramsky said, “Very professional illegal networks have developed, using hidden servers that share pirated material through subscription services.” He called on authorities and politicians to strengthen efforts against these activities.

The Role of Organized Crime

Europol’s recent arrests of 11 gang members involved in illegal streaming highlight the growing involvement of organized crime. According to the agency, the gang hijacked over 2,500 TV channels, including sports channels, and provided content to 22 million users worldwide without the rights holder’s consent.

Pribramsky elaborated to DW on the sophisticated operations behind this modern piracy. Illegal servers hide behind many layers, serving as the core of the criminal network. These platforms use subscription models similar to legal services, making it hard for users to tell legit providers from pirated ones.

The rewards are very high for criminals. Traditional crime involves big physical and financial risks, but piracy stays hidden with little danger of harsh penalties. Piracy looks very attractive and profitable for organized crime groups. Stopping it is difficult.

Combatting the Piracy Epidemic

Efforts to combat video piracy are gaining traction. Sky Deutschland, the owner of Bundesliga broadcasting rights, is one of the companies actively fighting back. “Piracy is not a trivial offense,” a Sky spokesperson told DW. “We make no distinction between large and small providers distributing our content illegally. Legal action will follow.”

Sky also supports initiatives like BeStreamWise.com to raise consumer awareness about the risks of accessing pirated content. However, experts say more than consumer education is needed. Governments need to increase law enforcement, and tech companies should assume more responsibility for stopping illegal streaming on their platforms.

The fight against video piracy is not only about protecting profits. Donnari told DW that it is about keeping an industry alive that supports many jobs and maintains a global love for football.” The stakes are enormous, and as the entertainment industry evolves, so must its defenses against piracy.

Also Read: Peru Implements New Tax on Streaming Services Like Netflix and Disney+

Illegal streaming may offer a quick fix for fans unable to afford legal subscriptions, but the long-term damage to the football ecosystem could prove irreparable. For Latin America and beyond, tackling piracy is not just a business priority, it’s necessary for the future of sports and entertainment.