For eons now, people have been using VPNs to hide their identities from copyright enforcement agencies and anti-piracy organizations when accessing illegal streams.
However, that might change soon, after a court ordered VPN sites to block sports pirating websites.
The landmark ruling has sent ripples of concern amongst internet users and industry observers. It could also have far-reaching consequences for copyright holders, VPN providers, illegal streaming websites, and internet users.
Below is a detailed examination of the court ruling and what it means going forward.
Top VPN providers targeted in the ruling
The VPN blocking rulings were delivered by the Paris Judicial Court on July 18, 2025, in two judgments that targeted VPN providers in France.
The first ruling involved beIN Sports vs. VPN providers NordVPN, CyberGhost, and Proton.
In this case, the sports network had requested the court to order the VPN sites to block sports pirating websites that broadcast its copyrighted content.
The blocking request affected seven domains:
- freestreams-live.mp
- topliga.net
- tennis-open.ru
- line.super-signal.com
- line.protv.cc
- 115680073183.d4ktv.info
- line.trx-ott.com.
The second ruling pitted Canal+ Group against NordVPN, Proton, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Surfshark.
The French media company requested the court to order the VPN providers to block users from accessing sites with its copyrighted Formula One streams.
The second ruling targeted 16 domains, including:
- antenacentral.store
- antenavip.online
- calmatv.ru
- cdn.livetv822.me
- f1.totalsportek.pro
- f1box.me
- f1livestream.best
- kakarotfoot.ru
- livetv822.me
- lshunter-iframe.com
- rojadirecta.website
- rojadirectatvdh.online
- totalsportek.dad
- totalsportek.games
- totalsportek.pro
- totalsportek.stream
The two court rulings are based on Article L. 333-10 of the French Sports Code, which allows sports rightsholders to seek court orders against any person or entity that can help in ending copyright infringement.
Second VPN blocking order by the French court
The two July rulings are not the first time that the Paris Judicial Court has ordered VPN providers to block illegal streaming sites.
In May 2025, the French court ruled in favor of Canal+ Group and the French football league LFP against NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Proton, CyberGhost, and Surfshark. It ordered VPN providers to block access to over 200 illegal streaming sites.
In a press statement, the French Football League heralded the ruling as a significant step towards combating piracy:
“The LFP and LFP Media welcome this decision by the Paris Judicial Court, which is a first in France, if not in the world, and constitutes a major step forward in the fight against piracy by ordering VPN services to implement measures to block pirate sites.”
An ongoing campaign by rightsholders against VPNs
The recent rulings by the French court are the result of an ongoing and aggressive campaign by sports rightsholders targeting VPN services.
In February 2025, Canal+ Group revealed it would start targeting VPN providers in a significant escalation of its anti-piracy measures. The measures are geared towards stifling all avenues of access to illegal streaming sites.
In France, internet service providers (ISPs) must block access to illegal streaming sites. However, by using a VPN, users can bypass these blocks and remain anonymous, making it very hard for copyright enforcers to track their activity.
Other tech companies have also been targeted
French rightsholders’ anti-piracy campaign is not limited to VPN providers; they have also targeted other tech companies.
In 2023, Canal+ went to court seeking an order compelling ISPs to block their subscribers from accessing illegal streaming sites.
The court ruled in its favor and ordered ISPs like Orange, OutreMer Télécom, Bouygues Télécom, and SFR to start blocking users.
ISPs implemented blocks by configuring their DNS resolvers, thus denying users access to pirate websites. However, some users managed to find a workaround by using third-party DNS services to bypass the blocks.
In response, Canal+ went back to court in 2024, demanding that the court compel three public DNS providers (Google, Cisco, and Cloudflare) to implement similar blocking measures as the ISPs.
Again, the French court ruled in favor of Canal+ and directed the tech companies to poison their DNS resolvers, making it impossible for their users to access pirate streaming sites.
VPN providers warn that blocking orders are a dangerous precedent
The recent court rulings have scored significant victories in the fight against piracy. However, the VPN industry stakeholders are warning that they are setting a dangerous precedent.
VPN providers were already opposed to the blocks, stating that such moves were technically difficult, expensive, and ineffective. However, the Paris Judicial Court rejected their arguments.
Following the rulings, Surfshark and NordVPN stated that they lacked the necessary mechanisms to comply with the court order. NordVPN also explained that implementing such measures would be expensive, forcing them to divert critical resources.
In a statement to TechRadar, Surfshark termed the Paris Judicial Court ruling “disproportionate and counterproductive”, warning it would affect internet users’ online privacy and security.
“While we agree that protecting intellectual property is essential, mandating that intermediaries implement content restrictions brings up critical issues related to freedom of expression, proportionality, and the protection of user rights.”
Surfshark concerns were echoed by Denis Vyazovoy, CPO of AdGuard VPN, a VPN provider that was not directly affected by the ruling.
“VPNs are not tools for piracy — they are technologies built to safeguard users’ digital rights. The core values underpinning VPN services — security, anonymity, and internet freedom — must not be sacrificed in the name of combating illegal streaming. This latest court ruling in France threatens to do exactly that, setting a dangerous precedent.”
Other VPN industry stakeholders have also weighed in on the issue, decrying the rulings by the French court.
Following the first ruling directing VPNs to block illegal sites in May, the VPN Trust Initiative (a consortium of VPN providers) released a statement terming the move misguided and ineffective.
Another industry stakeholder, the i2Coalition, raised similar concerns:
“The French ruling not only misplaces responsibility: it fundamentally threatens the privacy and security of millions of users in France and beyond.”
Rightsholders still face an uphill battle
For many people, ordering VPN sites to block sports pirating websites is a significant milestone in the war on piracy. However, copyright holders still face an uphill task in getting such measures approved.
During the July 18 rulings, the French Court refused to issue a blocking order for 11 domains, claiming Canal+ did not have definite proof that they were broadcasting its feed.
In May 2025, the court rejected another blocking request by beIN Sports for similar reasons.
Copyright holders could also encounter more legal challenges, as VPN providers are likely to appeal the rulings by the French courts.
Before the French court issued the blocking orders, some VPN providers had requested a stay of proceedings, while awaiting clarifications from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which is hearing another matter regarding VPN blocking.
Unfortunately for VPN providers, the Paris court refused to stay the proceedings. However, the matter could still be revisited, should the CJEU offer a different opinion.