German football association DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and sports streaming service DAZN have obtained a court injunction ordering the blocking of illegal streaming site livetv.sx in Germany.
The ruling targets what the parties call the largest illegal sports streaming platform in the German market, active for more than 13 years and responsible for a significant share of illicit viewing across the DACH region. The order requires internet service providers to block the site, with further legal steps against related mirror domains currently being assessed.
The case was coordinated through CUII, Germany’s clearing body for internet piracy, with both the DFL and DAZN contributing data and analysis to support the proceedings. The decision is positioned as a breakthrough in efforts to curb organised piracy networks that have historically relied on non-compliant hosting providers, content delivery networks and domain registrars to evade enforcement.
According to the organisations, the outcome underscores the importance of collaboration between platforms, leagues, and enforcement bodies to disrupt illegal streaming operations and sends a clear signal that piracy will not be tolerated.
“This court decision is a turning point in the fight against content theft in Germany. Livetv.sx has operated at scale for more than a decade, undermining rights holders and the wider sports ecosystem. By working through CUII and collaborating with partners such as the DFL, DAZN is demonstrating that coordinated enforcement can deliver meaningful results. This ruling protects the value of sport and creates a fairer, more sustainable market,” said Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group.
Steffen Merkel, CEO of DFL, added: “This decision is of great significance for the protection of rights, an area in which the Bundesliga has invested heavily for many years. We can now take more effective action than ever before against illegal streaming networks, in collaboration with international organisations such as CUII, law enforcement authorities and our partners. We thank all parties involved for their close cooperation and determined action in this case.”
DFL and DAZN stress that they will continue to invest in legal, technical, and industry led measures to combat piracy across the markets in which it operates, as part of its commitment to safeguard premium sports content worldwide for all legitimate parties in the sports ecosystem.
