Twitch and numerous other websites have been blocked in Spain following a court order to stop the illegal streaming of La Liga football matches. This move affects many users and businesses who rely on these platforms daily, sparking widespread frustration.
LaLiga, Spain’s top professional football league, secured a court order in February 2025 to block websites suspected of streaming matches without authorization. The method involved blocking large IP addresses, including those used by popular services like Twitch, Amazon, GitHub, and Cloudflare.
The result: many innocent users and companies found themselves unable to access these sites, despite having no connection to piracy. The broad IP bans have caused significant financial losses for Spanish businesses dependent on these platforms.
Spain’s laws do not require transparency about these blocks, leaving users puzzled about why they suddenly lose access to specific websites. Since the initial order, the government has increased the number and frequency of blocked sites, even after public backlash.
🛜 Los bloqueos de LaLiga contra la piratería llegan también a las redes sociales.
🟣 Las emisiones de Twitch sufrieron problemas el pasado fin de semana para usuarios de Movistar y Digi.
❌ La patronal bloqueó algunas direcciones IP utilizadas para alojar servidores de vídeo. pic.twitter.com/vqmb1km0ku
— WOSTI FutbolenlaTV (@futbolenlatv) May 5, 2025
On May 1, 2025, LaLiga met with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to discuss online sports piracy, which led to further restrictions.
While Twitch has faced bans in other countries before, those were for different reasons. For example, Turkey temporarily banned Twitch and Kick in February 2024 over gambling concerns, and Twitch ceased operations in South Korea the same month due to high operating costs.
Impact on Spanish Businesses
The IP blocks have affected users of major internet providers like Movistar and Digi, causing streaming interruptions and access issues—many of the blocked IPs host video servers, which explains Twitch’s sudden unavailability.
These measures have sparked criticism for their heavy-handed approach, which punishes legitimate users and businesses along with pirates.
LaLiga and EUIPO Cooperation
LaLiga’s recent engagement with the EUIPO highlights ongoing efforts to combat audiovisual fraud across borders and sectors. Andrea Di Carlo, Deputy Executive Director of EUIPO, emphasized the need for coordinated action to tackle piracy effectively.
Despite these efforts, the broad IP blocking strategy remains controversial due to its collateral damage.
📺 LALIGA attends the @EU_IPO conference on combating audiovisual fraud of live sports events.
💬 “Success depends on coordinated cross-border action, across different sectors and digital infrastructures,” Andrea Di Carlo, Deputy Executive Director of EUIPO.
— LALIGA Corporativo (@LaLigaCorp) May 1, 2025
What do you think about Spain’s approach to fighting piracy? Have you been affected by these blocks? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
