LaLiga deploys AI to combat surging live football piracy rates

LaLiga has commenced the deployment of sophisticated artificial intelligence to combat the escalating issue of digital piracy, which currently costs the Spanish football league an estimated $700 million to $800 million annually.

A study by Grant Thornton recently highlighted the scale of the challenge, recording over 10.8 million unauthorised retransmissions of live events in 2024.

Alarmingly, the research found that 81% of these streams were never suspended, with only a fraction removed during the critical opening stages of a match.

To address these vulnerabilities, the league is collaborating with infrastructure firm Fastly on a system that targets specific content signals rather than broad IP ranges.

This allows for more precise and rapid flagging of copyrighted material. Kelly Shortridge, Fastly’s Chief Product Officer, explained the benefits of this technical shift: "Unlike alternative approaches based on regional blocking, our strategy focuses on precision, letting fans enjoy the game while protecting content from abuse by criminals."

The objective is to significantly reduce the window between detection and removal, thereby stripping pirate operators of advertising income.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas noted that the combination of technical and legal efforts has already yielded results, reducing domestic piracy by 60% during the 2024/25 season.

This proactive stance comes as rights-holders across Europe struggle with shifting viewing habits, particularly in the UK, where roughly four million people still utilise unauthorised means to watch live sport.

LaLiga continues to represent world-renowned clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona, maintaining its status as one of the most commercially significant sports properties globally.