The United States has seized nearly 400 internet domains that were being used to illegally stream the World Cup, officials said on Friday, describing the move as one meant to disrupt international networks profiting from the popularity of the tournament.
The Department of Justice said the domains were identified with the assistance of soccer governing body FIFA and others, including NBC Universal and Warner Brothers.
The domains were used to illegally offer users copyright-protected content in the form of real-time streams of the World Cup matches as they were being played and first broadcast, the department said.