In a significant legal victory for Canal+, a Paris court has mandated that five major Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers block access to 203 domain names linked to illegal sports streaming websites. The ruling affects NordVPN, Cyberghost, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, and Proton, requiring them to prevent users from accessing sites that illegally stream UEFA Champions League, Premier League, and Top 14 matches. Canal+ holds exclusive French broadcasting rights for these competitions.
Canal+ welcomed the court's decision, stating that it “sends a strong message regarding the responsibility of VPN providers, recognising them for the first time as “technical intermediaries” in the illegal broadcasting of sports content.” The company added, “The group is proud to have initiated this major step forward in the fight against sports piracy in France and beyond, setting a legal precedent”.
This ruling marks a legal first, building on previous court orders targeting illegal streaming sites through Internet Service Providers, alternative DNS providers, and CDN and proxy services. Canal+ emphasizes that protecting its content remains a top priority, and this action aligns with its broader strategy to hold all technical intermediaries accountable in the battle against audiovisual piracy.