The UAE blocked more than 14,100 websites and applications that illegally streamed sports content during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as part of a nationwide effort to protect broadcasting rights and combat digital piracy. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism said its InstaBlock centre shut down 14,122 offending platforms, including 9,595 internet domains and 4,527 IP addresses, during the tournament. The operation also included inspections of commercial establishments suspected of using unauthorised broadcasts.
According to the ministry, InstaBlock uses a rapid-response mechanism to identify and disable websites that violate broadcasting rights. Once a complaint is received from a rights holder, the system can detect and block infringing platforms within 10 to 15 minutes, helping reduce the spread of illegal streams during live sporting events. The initiative is operated in partnership with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), Spain's LaLiga, and Eurostar Multimedia, enabling authorities to respond quickly to copyright infringement reports.
In addition to the online crackdown, the ministry conducted over 370 inspection activities at cafes, restaurants, and other commercial places during the World Cup. The authorities discovered 287 instances of businesses breaking the law for airing the sports programs without the appropriate licenses. According to the authorities, this was part of their overall strategy to make people comply with intellectual property laws.
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The new operation is another measure to address digital piracy in the country as the UAE has intensified its anti-piracy measures. After the introduction of InstaBlock in February 2025, 68,401 websites and apps associated with sports broadcast piracy have been shut down. The ministry stated that there has been a sharp increase in law enforcement over the past few years as part of the country's strategy to enhance protection of copyrights in light of increasing digital content usage.