The latest edition of the Premier League’s Boot Out Piracy campaign is launching in Hong Kong to raise awareness among football fans about the significant cybersecurity risks associated with illegal streaming services.
Launched in collaboration with local broadcast partner Now TV, the campaign is fronted by Premier League players including Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo and Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze. They star in videos explaining the real-world dangers of illegal streaming, from phishing scams and malware to identity theft and financial fraud.
Although piracy is often seen mainly as a copyright issue, new independent research conducted by cybersecurity expert Professor Paul Watters highlights the significant risks consumers face when using illegal streaming services. The study found:
- Piracy websites are, on average, 17.3 times riskier than mainstream websites.
- 66% of sites assessed are classified as presenting significant or critical cyber risk.
- More than half (54%) were flagged for suspicious activity associated with scams, phishing or malicious behaviour.
- Nearly half of piracy websites (44%) exposed users to harmful advertising and scam pathways, creating opportunities for cybercriminals to target consumers.
The findings reinforce that illegal streaming services are commonly operated by organised cybercriminal networks, and that using pirate services can expose consumers to serious real-world harms, including fraud, identity theft, account compromise and malware infections.
Premier League Director of Legal – Enforcement, Stefan Sergot said: “Illegal streaming may seem like a free and harmless way to watch football, but research increasingly shows that pirate services expose users to a range of dangers, including fraud, identity theft, malware and other online threats.
“Through Boot Out Piracy, we want to help fans understand those risks and encourage them to enjoy Premier League football safely, in the best quality, through legitimate services.
“We will continue working with our broadcast partners, social media platforms and enforcement authorities to tackle illegal streaming services, while ensuring fans understand what can sit behind pirate streams.”
The campaign comes as law enforcement increasingly targets not only individual pirate websites, but the networks and services that enable illegal streaming.
In Hong Kong, recent enforcement action against digital piracy includes a July 2026 Customs operation in Kwun Tong, where a 39-year-old man was arrested for allegedly selling illegal streaming devices and applications providing unauthorised access to copyrighted content. This builds on earlier action against Premier League piracy, including the November 2024 arrest of two individuals for using an illegal streaming device to show Premier League matches at a bar in Tung Chung. Under Hong Kong’s Copyright Ordinance, copyright infringement can carry a maximum penalty of HK$50,000 per infringing copy and four years’ imprisonment.
Bruce Lam, CEO, Consumer, HKT, said, “Now TV is committed to supporting the Premier League’s efforts to promote safe and legitimate viewing channels. We work closely with the League and relevant authorities to combat illegal streaming and protect the value of premium sports content. Through innovations such as low-latency streaming and AI-powered match analysis, we continue to enhance our offerings and provide fans with secure, reliable and high-quality services, connecting them with the Premier League throughout the season and beyond.”
Could your “free” stream be putting you at risk?
Boot Out Piracy is encouraging fans to look out for common warning signs associated with illegal streaming services, including:
· Suspicious offers – “Free” or unusually cheap access to content that seems too good to be true.
· Requests for sensitive information – Requests for passwords, payment details or other personal information.
· Unexpected redirects and pop-ups – Websites that redirect users or generate pop-ups and links.
· Unverified downloads – Requests to install an unfamiliar application, software or browser extension.
The Boot Out Piracy campaign will be showcased across broadcast channels and social media platforms in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in the upcoming months, supported by the Premier League’s broadcast partners, authorities and other stakeholders.
The campaign forms part of the Premier League’s wider activity to combat piracy, which has been running for 20 years and helps supporters around the world enjoy Premier League football through legitimate channels.
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About the Premier League
The Premier League produces some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans, communities, and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone, everywhere and is available to watch in 1.2 billion homes in 189 countries.
Premier League anti-piracy strategy in APAC
The Premier League, in close collaboration with its broadcast partners and authorities, actively combats piracy through a multifaceted approach. These efforts involve blocking unauthorised websites and apps, cooperating with law enforcement to pursue legal actions against providers of illegal streaming services and conducting extensive education campaigns to raise awareness about enjoying the top-quality football competition through legitimate services.
Since starting to run blocking in APAC seven years ago, the Premier League has been involved with blocking nearly 40,000 sites and apps across the region. In a series of orders from Singapore’s High Court, the Premier League has blocked nearly 800 domains across popular pirate streaming websites and domains used by illegal apps and streaming devices in Singapore. Over 29,000 domains in Indonesia, over 8,000 in Vietnam, and over 500 domains in Malaysia have been blocked. Across the region, last season over 15,000 pirate service listings were removed from online marketplaces and social media platforms.
Launched in 2020, the Premier League’s ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign aims to highlight the dangers of viewing illegal streams. Together with some of the biggest names in football, the Premier League speaks directly to fans across Asia, warning them of the risks of accessing Premier League matches through unauthorised channels. The campaign is showcased across broadcast channels and social media platforms in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
