Live sports broadcasting platform, DAZN, has taken a significant step in the fight against illegal streaming. The broadcaster has successfully obtained an unprecedented court order leading to the blocking of hundreds of illegal sports streams and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) platforms.
DAZN is a global streaming platform available in over 200 countries. Launched in June 2015, it became the home of Matchroom Boxing shows after securing a five-year deal reportedly worth around £740m in May 2018. This agreement was set to promote 16 fights in the US. In June 2021, DAZN announced another five-year deal with Matchroom – owned by boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. By February 2025, they had also agreed on a deal to broadcast Frank Warren's Queensberry boxing events.
Although not holding rights to Premier League football in the UK, DAZN is a significant player across Europe and broadcasts English top-flight games in countries such as Spain and Portugal.
Fight against illegal streaming
Recently, however, DAZN has been actively combating illegal streamers. Belgian internet providers have blocked 100 streaming websites and five IPTV platforms since April due to concerns about copyright infringement following a court order obtained by DAZN and its platform '12th Player'.
This action comes after changes made to Belgium’s law back in 2022 that required internet service providers (ISPs) like Proximus, Telenet, Orange Belgium and Voo to implement Domain Name System blocking at their own expense.
Telecompaper further explains that "Internet platforms such as Cloudflare, Google and Cisco must also comply or risk fines of EUR 100k per day".
Impact of piracy on broadcasters
DAZN’s research found that one-third of Belgians aged 16-24 use illegal streams to watch football, costing broadcasters upwards of £180m per year in damages. Speaking at The Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit in February 2025, DAZN’s head of global rights Tom Burrows explained how piracy and illegal streams were a significant problem for the broadcaster.
DAZN head of global rights, Tom Burrows, said:
“We’re getting to the stage where it’s almost a crisis for the sports rights industry. Media-rights deals have been done on the basis of exclusivity but I think there’s almost an argument to say you can’t get exclusive rights anymore because piracy is so bad.
“In the past, the broadcasters have funded the financial gap (caused by piracy) but I don’t think that’s going to continue and, if we can’t find a way to bridge that gap, it will be the sports themselves that suffer.”
DAZN's recent actions against illegal streaming platforms mark a significant step forward in the fight against digital piracy. By obtaining this court order, they have set a precedent for other broadcasters who may be facing similar issues. This move not only protects their content but also ensures that sports fans can enjoy high-quality broadcasts without resorting to illegal means.
