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French Court Orders VPNs to Block Illegal Sports Streaming Sites in Landmark Ruling

For the first time, VPN providers must block 203 illegal domains, a decision hailed as a major step against piracy by Canal+ and the LFP.

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Selon Canal+, le tribunal judiciaire de Paris a ordonné jeudi à cinq VPN de «bloquer 203 noms de domaines de sites illégaux de diffusion» de compétitions sportives.

Overview

  • The Tribunal judiciaire de Paris has mandated five VPN providers—NordVPN, Cyberghost, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and Proton—to block access to 203 illegal sports streaming domains.
  • The ruling covers major competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Top 14 rugby, and France's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 football leagues.
  • This marks the first instance globally where VPNs are classified as technical intermediaries responsible for combating piracy.
  • Canal+ and LFP Media have praised the decision as a turning point in the fight against piracy, citing it as a precedent-setting move in France and potentially worldwide.
  • A 2024 report by Arcom found that 57% of illicit streamers used VPNs, prompting rights holders to seek legal action to protect broadcasting revenues.