Operation Red Card: Dominican Republic blocks 256 domains linked to sports piracy

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office has blocked 256 internet domains and suspended another linked to the illegal streaming of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches as part of Operation Red Card, an international crackdown on digital piracy.

The operation, carried out in coordination with authorities from nine countries, targeted websites that illegally distributed copyrighted sports broadcasts without authorization. In the Dominican Republic, the effort involved the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Intellectual Property Unit, the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for High Technology Crimes, the Criminal Investigation Unit and the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Santo Domingo.

Investigators identified more than 300 domains associated with unauthorized streaming platforms, including Tarjeta Roja, Roja Directa, Fútbol Libre and Pirlo TV. Authorities obtained court approval to dynamically block 256 domains, allowing future mirror sites to be disabled more efficiently, while one additional domain was suspended.

Officials said the action protects intellectual property rights and helps combat digital piracy, which causes financial losses for rights holders while exposing users to cybersecurity threats such as malware, spyware, identity theft and data theft. The operation also reaffirmed the Dominican Republic’s commitment to international cooperation in tackling online piracy.