The tournament of Roland-Garros 2026 is not only a sporting challenge, it becomes the scene of a major technical experiment. The French authorities, in collaboration with broadcasters and telecom operators, are deploying a new system of real-time IP address blocking. This initiative aims to deal a heavy blow to illegal IPTV servicesthese low-cost subscriptions which provide access to a myriad of channels and streaming platforms in a fraudulent manner. The mechanism, led by the Association for the Protection of Sports Programs (APPS), brings together rights holders, access providers and Arcom in a coordinated effort to act quickly and strongly.
Why is this change in method so important?
Until now, the fight against sports piracy has mainly relied on blocking of domain names (DNS). This approach proved slow, administratively cumbersome and perfectly ineffective to counter the broadcast of live sporting events. Hackers could circumvent the measure in minutes, while the legal blocking procedure took several days.
Credits: Loïc Wacziak / FFT
The new strategy radically changes the situation by directly targeting the IP address of the source server. The operation is much more complex for hackers to circumvent. The objective is clear: to be able cut pirate stream during the broadcast of the match, creating sufficient frustration among the user to encourage them to turn to legal offers.
What are the objectives and risks of this test?
The choice of Roland-Garros is not trivial. The tournament, which extends over several weeks and takes place during the day, constitutes a ideal test bench to refine the system and correct its flaws. This testing phase is crucial, because it prepares the ground for a much more colossal financial challenge. The real goal is to make the technology fully operational for future events, to more effectively combat IPTV hacking on a large scale.
However, this method is not without danger. THE major risk of “overblocking” is a serious concern, because the same IP address can host both illegal content and perfectly legal services. To limit collateral damage, several safeguards have been put in place by Arcom, such as a whitelist of untouchable IPs and the ban, initially, on blocking shared servers.
What is the legal framework and the future of this fight?
This experiment is currently taking place without any new law, but it anticipates the adoption of the Lafon bill. This text, already validated by the Senate, aims to automate and accelerate the process by allowing rights holders and ISPs to directly exchange pirate addresses to be blocked after a initial court decisionall under the supervision of Arcom. The challenge is to prepare a legal framework for events like the football world cup.
France’s considerable delay in this area, particularly compared to Spain which blocks tens of thousands of IP per championship day, has made this development essential. At the same time, pressure is increasing on users, with the first financial sanctions for subscribers to pirate services. Although the audience of illegal sites has declined, the battle has only just begun in the face of increasingly professionalized IPTV offers.
