An international anti-digital piracy initiative codenamed Operation Red Card has resulted in the Dominican Republic blocking 256 internet domains and suspending an additional domain tied to the unauthorized streaming of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. This coordinated enforcement action, carried out alongside law enforcement and regulatory partners from nine other countries, targets unlicensed platforms that profit from distributing copyrighted sports content without the permission of intellectual property holders.
Multiple Dominican agencies joined forces for the local component of the sweep: the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s specialized Intellectual Property Unit, the High Technology Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, the national Criminal Investigation Unit, and the local office of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) collaborated to map and take down illegal streaming operations. Over the course of the investigation, the joint team identified more than 300 domains linked to notorious piracy platforms including Tarjeta Roja, Roja Directa, Fútbol Libre, and Pirlo TV, all of which are known for offering unauthorized access to premium global sports content.
After securing formal court approval, authorities implemented dynamic blocking for 256 of the identified domains. This innovative measure not only disables the current sites but also streamlines the process of taking down future mirror sites—copycat domains that piracy operators typically launch to replace blocked platforms, allowing for faster action against new iterations of illegal operations. One additional domain was fully suspended as part of the enforcement action.
Law enforcement officials emphasized that the crackdown serves two critical public interests beyond upholding copyright law. First, it protects the financial interests of sports rights holders, who lose billions of dollars annually to global digital piracy of live sports content. Second, it safeguards everyday internet users: illegal streaming platforms frequently embed hidden malware, spyware, and other malicious tools that expose visitors to risks ranging from identity theft to large-scale data theft. Beyond these immediate outcomes, officials noted that the successful operation underscores the Dominican Republic’s ongoing commitment to cross-border collaboration in addressing transnational digital crime, highlighting that piracy cannot be effectively tackled by individual nations acting alone.