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

Broadcasters in France and Spain have lodged complaints with FIFA over its decision to name ExpressVPN an official sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, arguing that the partnership undermines efforts to combat illegal streaming.

ExpressVPN, a virtual private network (VPN) service designed to enhance users’ online privacy, was announced as an official World Cup partner before the tournament and has been prominently featured on advertising boards during matches.

La Liga president Javier Tebas, who has led Spain’s campaign against illegal football streaming, criticised the sponsorship, saying VPN services can make it more difficult for authorities to identify people accessing pirated broadcasts.

Tebas has previously claimed that illegal streaming costs La Liga clubs up to €700 million annually in lost revenue. In a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Tebas described the sponsorship as incompatible with football’s efforts to protect broadcasting rights.

“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,” the letter stated, adding that the agreement could undermine ongoing legal actions involving ExpressVPN.

The Association for the Protection of Sports Programs (APPS), which represents major French sports broadcasters including Canal+ and beIN Sports France, also wrote to FIFA expressing “deep concern” over the partnership. The association argued that, given FIFA’s role as football’s global governing body, its commercial partnerships should support the integrity, sustainability and value of the sport’s broadcasting rights.

The complaints come after a French court last year ordered five VPN providers, including ExpressVPN, to block more than 200 domain names linked to illegal sports streaming websites. Responding to the criticism, FIFA said it carried out thorough due diligence before signing the sponsorship agreement and had carefully assessed its potential impact.

The governing body said it had taken steps to ensure the partnership does not undermine the interests of broadcasters or other stakeholders. ExpressVPN also states in its customer guidance that its service should not be used for illegal activities, describing VPNs as tools for privacy and security rather than a means to bypass the law.