European football’s governing body UEFA has welcomed an international anti-piracy operation led by Bulgaria’s Ministry of the Interior, with support from the law enforcement agencies from Italy and Croatia, as well as Europol and Eurojust.
Operation Kratos, carried out in summer 2024 came against a background of major sporting events such as UEFA Euro 2024, brought together law enforcement authorities from both EU Member States and non-EU countries. The operation saw 112 searches and seizures of equipment as well as 102 suspects identified, with 11 subsequent arrests. The network was found to have reached over 22 million users worldwide.
UEFA has confirmed its involvement and says it contributed timely and detailed information about illegal streams of UEFA competitions based on its extensive content protection programme.
“UEFA welcomes and supports such a successful and unprecedented operation that neutralised a record number of illegal streaming platforms and illegal IPTV services. We would like to thank the various stakeholders involved for their ongoing efforts and the high level of cooperation in fighting digital piracy by bringing actions such as this against organised crime” said a UEFA spokesperson.
“Financial revenue generated from media rights is vital for the well-being of both professional and amateur football. In particular, it is essential to football development and grassroots investment throughout Europe.
Euro 2024 was broadcast with a mix of free-to-air and pay-TV coverage, depending on the territory.
