Featured Image Credit: Anadolu / Contributor via Getty
Demand for illegal streaming has ramped up significantly ahead of the World Cup this summer, yet Europol has dealt a significant blow to people's hopes of watching the tournament for free as it issues a crackdown on thousands of dodgy sites.
New data from the European Union's Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation has detailed the success of what's referred to as 'Operation Kratos 2', with around 27,000 illegal streaming sites wiped from the web as a result.
While people are drawn to the allure of illegal streaming for a number of reasons, sport – and primarily football – is arguably the biggest factor, with millions tuning in to free broadcasts throughout the seasonal calendar.
There's no doubt that the Premier League reigns supreme in terms of demand for club football, with many opting for illegal streaming apps on devices like Amazon's Fire Stick over paying for national broadcasters, but things looked to really be heating up for the World Cup.
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This year's tournament is bigger than ever before, with 48 teams competing for football's grandest prize, yet the event's first confirmed loser is seemingly the thousands of illegal sites that have felt the brunt of Europol's recent crackdown.
As reported by Bleeping Computer, Operation Kratos 2 was a joint effort between Europol and Bulgaria's Generate Directorate Combatting Organized Crime, with a task force conducting a review from September last year to April 26, 2026.
As a result, nine organized crime gangs associated with illegal streaming have been dismantled, with 29 arrests emerging from 86 suspects, and 148 total searches conducted as part of the operation.
This isn't the first crackdown on illegal streams and it definitely won't be the last, as the world of 'dodgy sites' is a veritable wild west where gangs and operators are constantly finding new ways to host streams and evade the action of political organizations.
Amazon itself has attempted to remove its role in the equation by making it far harder for users to download unauthorized apps – many of which were used as a hub for IPTV services – but there are always loopholes and workarounds that are discovered in time.
Despite this seemingly never ending battle, Europe's football governing body UEFA has championed the success of Operation Kratos 2, with a spokesperson for the organization championing the efforts of law enforcement.
"UEFA strongly supports coordinated international action against organized crime in the digital environment," the spokesperson outlined. "We would like to thank all of the authorities and industry partners involved for their continued cooperation and contributions."
One thing that's certain is that you won't want to miss the World Cup from the moment it begins to the minute the final whistle blows on July 19 — yet that might be a little complicated depending on where you are in the world.
Fox Sports has exclusive English-language broadcast rights in the United States, meaning that anyone with a cable subscription will be able to catch all of the broadcasted games when they go live, including the USA's first game against Paraguay on Friday, June 13.
If you're in the UK, however, the TV rights are split between BBC and ITV, with the two broadcasters handling 54 and 51 live games respectively. You'll have to pay attention to which games are on what channel, although the final will be shown on both BBC One and ITV1 simultaneously, and this could be the moment that the trophy finally comes home.
