France and Spain submit complaint to FIFA over ‘disastrous’ World Cup sponsor

Broadcasters in France and Spain have submitted a complaint to FIFA over its decision to include ExpressVPN as an official World Cup sponsor.

ExpressVPN, a virtual private network service which protects a user’s privacy on the internet, was announced as an official World Cup partner before the start of the tournament and has featured on advertising boards during matches.

However, La Liga president Javier Tebas, who has led the crackdown on illegal football streaming in Spain, is unhappy with the promotion of a VPN service at the World Cup as its use can make it difficult for authorities to track people who illegally stream games.

Tebas claimed last year that La Liga clubs are losing up to €700 million (£597m) in revenue due to illegal football streams.

In a letter which has been seen by French newspaper L’Equipe, Tebas told FIFA president Gianni Infantino that promoting ExpressVPN ‘sends a disastrous message to the entire football ecosystem’.

Tebas wrote in his letter: ‘I am writing to you on behalf of La Liga to file a formal complaint regarding the recent announcement of the sponsorship agreement concluded between FIFA and ExpressVPN.

‘La Liga believes that this agreement is manifestly incompatible with the principles of protecting football’s audio-visual rights that should govern the actions of world football’s governing body.

‘The fact that FIFA is signing a partnership with a company whose service actively facilitates the piracy of sports content sends a disastrous message to the entire football ecosystem. It jeopardises ongoing legal proceedings. La Liga, beIN Sports France, Canal+, and other sports organisations have filed lawsuits against ExpressVPN in several jurisdictions.’

Meanwhile, the Association for the Protection of Sports Programs (APPS), which includes all of the major sports broadcasters in France, also wrote a letter to Infantino to express its ‘deep concern’ over FIFA’s sponsorship agreement.

The letter also said: ‘Given FIFA’s role and responsibilities as the world governing body of football, we believe that particular vigilance is required to ensure that such partnerships are fully consistent with the broader objective of preserving the integrity, sustainability and value of sporting competitions, as well as their audio-visual exploitation.’

Last year, major French broadcaster Canal+ won a ruling from the Paris Judicial Court which ordered five VPN providers, including ExpressVPN, to block 203 domain names associated with illegal sports streaming sites.

In a response to the complaints, FIFA said in a statement to L’Equipe: ‘In accordance with regulations and best market practices, FIFA conducts due diligence and a thorough assessment before signing any new commercial partnership. It has carefully examined the potential implications of the sponsorship agreement and has taken steps to ensure that it does not undermine the efforts of rights holders or stakeholders.’

In a message to its customers, ExpressVPN discourages the use of its service for ‘illegal activities’.

‘The internet should be a place of freedom, security, and privacy—but in many parts of the world, that’s not always the case,’ the message read.

‘Governments impose restrictions, ISPs track browsing habits, and cyber threats lurk around every corner. A VPN helps restore your right to online privacy, but using one wisely is key.

‘While VPNs are legal in most countries, some governments restrict them to control information, enforce censorship, or monitor activity. That’s why it’s important to stay informed about local regulations before connecting.

‘A VPN should be a tool for privacy and security, not a loophole for illegal activities.’

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