Italy police busts illegal TV streaming hubs ahead of 2026 World Cup

Authorities seized assets and identified thousands of users linked to illicit subscription services

Photo: Reuters

Italy's finance police said on Friday it uncovered three illegal broadband TV distribution hubs in Crotone, in the southern Calabria region, and reported four suspects, seizing assets worth about €650,000 ($751,900).

Authorities said the sting was part of efforts to fight digital piracy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in United States, Canada and Mexico, which opened on Thursday and for which the Italian national team failed to qualify.

● The network sold pirated subscriptions, giving access to paid content from platforms including Sky, DAZN, Netflix and Disney+.

● The illegal subscriptions cost between €10 and €40, including customer services.

● Investigators identified at least 2,769 users, with illegal proceeds reinvested into the legal economy and cryptocurrencies to conceal their origin.

● The four suspects, all Italian nationals, were reported for copyright violations and self-laundering.

● Users face administrative fines ranging from €154 to €5,000, police said.