The US seized over 1,000 internet domains that were illegally used to stream the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup, which the country hosted this year, according to reports on Tuesday.
This development comes after officials from the US Justice Department stated on June 26 that they had seized more than 400 web domains used to do the same.
The domains offered illegal access to a video stream of the global football championship matches in real time, which was a violation of copyright law.
"These streamers not only violate copyright laws but also expose viewers to potential threats — including malware attacks and unsecured connections that can compromise personal and financial data," Eric Weindorf, a special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations, stated in a statement cited by Reuters.
The US DOJ targeted servers in Peru, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Poland and Colombia for the aforementioned unauthorised streaming.
The World Cup began on June 11, with matches played in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Spain's players were crowned the FIFA World Cup 2026 champions on Monday, after substitute Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to seal a 1-0 extra-time victory over defending champions Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026: A Statistical Breakdown Of The Final As Spain Dominate Argentina
The victory also extended Spain's unbeaten run to 38 international matches, setting a new record for the longest unbeaten streak by a European men's national team.
Adding another layer of history, Spain became the first country to simultaneously hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
