Filmon told to block World Cup Matches by FIFA
World Cup matches on Filmons web and “affiliate” service are being geoblocked.
Users outside the UK trying to watch BBC and ITV coverage of World Cup matches are being presented with the following banner, saying the World Cup matches are unavailable due to restrictions imposed by FIFA.
In some cases the channel simply does not load.
Filmon say “Due to restrictions imposed by Fifa today, only people with a UK IP will be able to watch the World Cup. It was out of our control.”
It is thought, but not confirmed, that users of “XBMC” boxes, who can access these channels from other “non filmon” sources addons.
But it does beg the question, if FIFA can get their content geoblocked on Filmon, why can’t the actual broadcasters do so?
edit:
an email from filmon about the blocked coverage:
You should be getting ITV 1 right now, but it will be blocked during the transmission of World Cup matches. Unfortunately FIFA has requested for us to block all World Cup coverage on our UK channel streams. As a result we can only show World Cup coverage from UK channels to customers that have a UK IP address. While we’re aware that people may be going around the IP restrictions by obtaining a UK IP via VPN software such as Hotspot Shield or Expat Shield, this is beyond our control and we can’t encourage this or supply any help in setting it up.
Tomorrow (Thursday) and on Sunday, the German station ZDF will be streaming the matches and you should still be able to watch them on that channel if you don’t mind German commentary. This may change as well if FIFA requests it: www.FilmOn.com/channel/zdf
If you are receiving a “Subscription expired” or similar message while trying to watch ITV1 outside the UK, please note this is displayed in error and purchasing a subscription would not give you access to World Cup coverage. To rectify this error we would appreciate if you could forward a screen print of this issue so that we can reproduce and rectify.
Should you be having trouble viewing ITV1 right now, it will help us analyse your connection if you please perform the following three checks for us:
1. www.filmon.com/support/check – This tests your connection to FilmOn and gathers playback-relevant data about your client or browser. After this diagnostic check has finished, you will get a result link – shown above the results – which you can send back to us. If there is a problem with copypasting, the number at the end of the link will be enough.
2. www.speedtest.net – Here your overall connection is measured. Click “Begin Test” and – when it is done – “Share this result”, which allows you to copy the web result link and email it back to us.
3. It is also important for us to know if you experience performance problems on all channels or only on particular ones. Especially important regarding the UK channels is:
If you’re experiencing problems from “group A” (BBC1-4, ITV1-4, Channel 4 & 5)… are you at the same time noticing problems from “group B” (ITV1+ – ITV4+, Dave, More4, Really)?
Kind regards,
FilmOn.com Support Team
Please could you explain how to watch blocked filmon world cup matches on bbc and itv thru android tv.
thank you
Don’t use filmon directly. It is your Spanish IP internet address that is blocking the viewing of WC matches, for channels specifically for the UK.
Use another source…
On android boxes running XBMC there are bound to be some more providers of UKTV, it is simply an issue of trying to find them.
If you cannot locate them, then best speak to where you bought your android box from….
Thanks very much, I’ll try that then. Do you think uk channels ie, bbc, itv etc, may get blocked in the same way In the future?
It seems strange that if they can geoblock content at the request of FIFA, then why don’t the UK broadcasters ask the same…? Perhaps they have and Filmon ignore them, but why concede to FIFA ???
Log into Google then type feed2all pick game u want to watch and choose one of the links.Free live football.
Go to feed2all at your own risk. You are taken to a site to downlaod and intall their app, which also installs at least to other programs, including one that will hijack your browser, search engine and homepage. If you decline these programs, it wont install. Additionally, the links to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy don’t work.
for anglophiles around europe it is amazing to me that bbc and itv cant get together and offer a proper overseas package. most would ba prepared to pay well for such a service. it makes no sense to block filmon, when the streaming view quality is worse that analogue tv. we can all find a workaround using vpn to avoid the geoblocking anyway. why be so penny pinching and miss the main business opportunity. sure beats me!
The BBC do have an expat service – BBC Entertainment. Subscription based offering BBC programmes. It has been available for years (previously BBC Prime)
And they offer a version of IPlayer for expats.
ITV have one of sorts – but only for their soaps.
But then if they offer an overseas package they will have to ensure they get thier moneys worth, and the subscriptions they receive may not cover the additional rights they would need to buy.
Seems fair to block filmon – why should a company make money and offer channels that they do not pay for or have the permission of the broadcasters to retransmit…
If FIFA can get their content geoblocked, why can’t the broadcasters themselves…?
I can confirm filmon is working for world cup matches on xbmc using ,expat TV, not filmon and filmon with a Spanish IP.
Please someone help me! I need to know how to be able to watch bbc or itv on filmon as FIFA are being lame and blocked viewing the matches! Anyone?
They are only blocked if you are watching UK channels outside the UK direct from filmon.
So either find an alternative internet feed, watch on your national TV channel (eg in FRance a lot of games are on TF1, in Spain they are on Cuatro and Telecinco,), get a satellite dish (for UK TV or even a subscription to BeIN Sports) and watch them in high definition, or get a VPN service to log into the internet from the UK where the content is not blocked.
Not too sure if “FIFA are being lame” – they are protecting their rights and contracts…
I was quite miffed when I could not watch the world cup games on FILMON.COM, I eventually got to watch both games tonight on my computer with no problem, I might add it was in HD with no hicups.
I pay for a proxy IP address and can receive a multitude of programs from around the world.
I generally use XBMC for all my UK programs, but even these shut down ITV,and BBC for the duration of the games in question.
This all sucks as far as I am concerned. OFCOM in the UK control all media distribution. BBC is a fee paying system, as one punter said, I would be willing to pay BBC programs, ITV rely’s on their revenue from adverts, so why the cut off several months ago. SKY is a fee paying system, and at the moment this is still available in most of Europe, the proviso is having a UK BASED ADDRESS to receive the package.
The bottom line is that, it is all political and controlled by the British government. If we are a European family why do we not get treatment as a family and receive British programs, and visa versa, European programs throughout the European union.
If the UK broadcasters pay for the rights to transmit over Europe then they can.
But they do not pay for European rights so cannot.
Blame the rights holders (programme makers, movie studios, sports governing bodies) for this who sell their content on a country by country basis to maximise revenue.
And if the BBC did have to pay for European rights, how much would the license fee have to be increase by to cover it – especially when they would not get any money back as the UK licence fee is a UK only tax. YOu have to pay this if you live in the UK and want to receive live TV in the UK from any country. Go back to sky provided “viewing cards” – which they originally ditched saving some £28m a year…. costs v benefits…and the arguments about why should taxpayers pay a private company so much money when it is easily doable without doing so.
Not many other EU countries have their TV available totally “free to air” on satellite. Spain, France, Italy, Portugal all require a card to access their TV via satellite.
And the BBC do provide an expat TV service, called BBC Entertainment, which is a subscription based service operated by its commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, and offers BBC programmes. So “one punter” can always subscribe to that…the option is there, and has been for several years…
Not too sure about ITV, I know they have a “soaps” catch up service for expats (itv essentials), but they are advert based, and many of those services are not available outside the UK. Also, ITV rely on viewing figures from BARB for UK viewership, and base ad charges on that… how would they be able to get the “European” viewership numbers to maximise ad revenues….?
At the end of the day, it is all about rights and how those rights are sold….and it will not change for many years yet….until all EU broadcasters operate and are funded the same way. And as for the WC, matches (OK not all) are available for free on terrestrial TV in most EU countries anyway…
Someone has said that if you load up into Filmon about 5-10 minutes before the programme starts (the programme, not the match) , it will stay on, as long as you do not change channels, or have a service interrupt…
NOT blocked now on film on, world cup on BBC and ITV works fine…
previously yes, your right, if you watched the channels before world cup started they stayed on..
but.. all is fine now, unblocked…