As the 2025/26 season kicks off, LALIGA is strengthening its global strategy to combat audiovisual piracy with a stark warning: “You Get Pirated Football, They Get You.” While the economic impact of piracy is already substantial and estimated to be between €600 and €700 million annually for Spanish clubs, LALIGA emphasizes a more alarming consequence: the growing threat to fans’ digital security.
Piracy is not limited to Spain. It has expanded into key international markets such as Latin America, where unauthorized websites and apps offering illegal sports broadcasts are on the rise. According to recent studies, many of these platforms are operated by organized criminal networks. Once accessed, they can install malware such as trojans, keyloggers, or ransomware onto users’ devices, enabling the theft of passwords, bank details, and even unauthorized camera access.
Consuming pirated content doesn’t just break the law; it also puts users at risk. Criminals can obtain sensitive personal data, including addresses, employment information, family details such as children’s names, and financial records. This exposure can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, privacy breaches, and potential legal consequences.
In response, LALIGA, through its international network in 38 countries, collaborates with law enforcement and global organizations like Europol. A standout example is “Operation Kratos,” which dismantled a global network distributing over 2,500 illegal channels to 22 million users. Authorities seized weapons, drugs, and cryptocurrencies, linking piracy directly to high-level criminal activity.
Another major case, “Operation 404,” was a joint effort between LALIGA and the Alianza Contra la Piratería Audiovisual (Alliance Against Audiovisual Piracy), which resulted in Latin America’s first court-ordered blocking of the Magis TV app, along with the shutdown of over 675 websites and 14 illegal apps. The operation led to arrests and seizures in Argentina and Brazil.
In order to prevent exposure to these threats, the following key recommendations are advised:
– Avoid downloading or using unofficial applications and programs, as they often contain malicious code that can infect your devices.
– Do not click on suspicious or unverified links, as many pirate sites serve as traps for installing spyware or ransomware in your devices.
– Keep your software and antivirus updated to detect and block known threats. Always heed any system alerts about potential infections.
– Use only official and legal broadcasters, which provide a safe experience and protect your personal data. The official LALIGA website’s “Where to Watch LALIGA” section lists authorized broadcasters for each country worldwide.
– Be wary of “free” streaming services, especially those requesting suspicious permissions, as they may be gateways to the fraudulent practices outlined above. If the product is free, you are the product.
– Avoid subscriptions that use direct transfers or cryptocurrencies as payment methods.
Ultimately, as law enforcement, regulators, and authorities at both national and international levels warn, consuming pirated content poses a serious risk to users. It exposes them to threats that can severely compromise their security and may lead them to unknowingly hand over highly sensitive personal data to criminal networks operating in the shadows. The fight against piracy requires a joint effort from authorities, the industry, and users themselves. What may seem like harmless streaming can have serious consequences in the short, medium, and long term.
To know more about the risks to which you are exposed when you get pirated football, and where you can enjoy LALIGA on an official broadcaster and in high-quality access here.
SOURCE: LALIGA CONTENTHUB
