High Court Grants UEFA Blocking Order To Combat UCL Piracy

UEFA has secured a major legal victory in its fight against illegal streaming after the High Court of Delhi authorised a sweeping dynamic blocking order aimed at protecting the UEFA Champions League from large-scale digital piracy in India.

Working in cooperation with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and in full coordination with UC3, UEFA obtained a copyright-based court order that covers 79 domains linked to an estimated two billion annual visits. The ruling grants UEFA the authority to dynamically block newly emerging illegal streaming sites for the remainder of the season.

The measures will be implemented in India through internet service providers as well as domain-level intermediaries with global reach. UEFA said the action is expected to significantly disrupt access to the targeted services, including via global domain suspension mechanisms.

Dynamic blocking orders allow rights holders to act swiftly against mirror and proxy sites that frequently reappear after initial enforcement efforts. By extending the order to newly created domains, UEFA aims to prevent operators from evading restrictions during the latter stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

UEFA and UC3 said they remain closely aligned in reinforcing protections around UEFA’s club competitions. Both organisations emphasised that piracy poses serious risks not only to broadcast partners but also to clubs and the broader football ecosystem.

“Piracy is not a victimless activity, it fuels organised criminal networks and diverts essential revenues away from the game,” said Guy Laurent Epstein, Managing Director at UC3. “These orders represent a clear step forward: dynamic blocking strengthens the protection of our global family of broadcast partners, preserving the value they deliver to fans and enabling continued investment throughout the European football ecosystem.”

UEFA has increasingly turned to coordinated legal, operational and technological strategies to combat online infringement, particularly as illegal streaming networks grow in sophistication and global reach. The latest ruling marks one of the most significant anti-piracy actions linked to the Champions League this season and underscores the governing body’s determination to safeguard its broadcast rights worldwide.

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