LaLiga asked the European Commission to add NordVPN, ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark to the 2027 Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List, arguing that third-party affiliate marketing turns those VPNs into active facilitators of circumvention rather than neutral intermediaries. The 14-page submission highlights affiliate guides and influencer pages that rank providers, link to discounted subscriptions, and instruct fans to use VPNs to bypass geo-blocking to watch free or cheaper broadcasts abroad, undermining territorial licensing. LaLiga also flags affiliate content that names pirate streaming sites and explains how VPNs can evade court-ordered site blocks, and points to potential conflicts of interest by linking certain review sites to VPN-owning companies. The submission stresses it does not target VPN technology itself and includes a disclaimer that it does not assert legal liability.
The request sits alongside litigation and enforcement context in Spain: a Córdoba court once issued an ex parte blocking order against ProtonVPN and NordVPN for marketing tied to match schedules, while later refusing to fine NordVPN after finding targeted IPs changed frequently; broader proceedings remain open. LaLiga also catalogued 341 AFTVnews Downloader short codes, asserting 262 lead to pirate apps and describing the catalogue as editorially curated; AFTVnews responded that codes are auto-generated, user-submitted, and removed on valid takedown notices. Whether the Commission will list the VPNs or Downloader remains undecided.
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