Crooks behind 27,000 illegal streaming URLs nabbed in major operation
Just in time for the FIFA World Cup 2026, an international operation has successfully targeted the criminal networks making millions from illegal access to premium sports broadcasts.
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Europol-backed operation dismantled major illegal streaming networks and removed over 27,000 URLs.
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Investigators targeted the criminal infrastructure enabling IPTV piracy across multiple countries and jurisdictions.
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Illegal streaming exposes users to malware, spyware, data theft, and broader online exploitation.
The seven-month operation, coordinated by Bulgaria with Europol’s support, resulted in 29 arrests. Nine organized crime groups were reportedly dismantled, and over 27,000 illegal streaming URLs were removed.
The international operation, KRATOS 2, ran from September 2025 to April 2026, focusing on the criminal infrastructure that enables illegal IPTV services and streaming platforms to operate across jurisdictions.
Undoubtedly, these illegal streaming services were also offering cheap access to premium soccer content during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
The problem, Europol explains in a press release, is that this business model is illegal and powered by complex criminal enterprises.
“The groups behind illegal streaming services increasingly rely on complex technical infrastructure, separating customer-facing websites from the servers hosting the illegal content and distributing these services across several countries to avoid detection,” says Europol.
In addition to generating significant criminal revenue, these services expose users to cybersecurity risks, including malware infections, spyware, data theft, and other forms of online exploitation, the EU’s law enforcement agency adds.
An FBI scam alert recently warned that cybercriminals are actively blanketing the web with fake FIFA websites – all designed to steal your sensitive personal and financial information in the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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In this particular case, investigators targeted the wider criminal ecosystem supporting these services. This allowed them to gather intelligence on the crime groups operating behind the platforms and identify key suspects involved in their management and technical operation.
Europol co-led the operational coordination alongside Bulgaria’s General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime.
Authorities from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States worked together for this operation.
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