In a groundbreaking decision, the Paris Judicial Court has mandated that several major Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers block access to approximately 200 pirate sports streaming domains.

This ruling, issued on May 16, 2025, stems from legal action initiated by Canal+ Group and its affiliates, who argued that users were leveraging VPN services to access unauthorized broadcasts of football and rugby matches, infringing upon their exclusive rights .

The court’s directive targets prominent VPN entities, including:

CyberGhost LLC and CyberGhost Srl

Express Technologies and ExpressCo Services (associated with ExpressVPN)

NordVPN, operating through entities in the Netherlands and the Republic of Panama

Surfshark B.V. and Surfshark Ltd

Proton Technologies (ProtonVPN)

Under the ruling, the above VPN services are now required to block access in France to 203 domain names used to illegally stream UEFA Champions League, Premier League, and Top 14 matches

This action is grounded in Article L.333-10 of the French Sports Code, which permits rights holders to request “all proportionate measures” to prevent or halt serious and repeated infringements of their broadcasting rights. The court recognized VPN providers as “technical intermediaries” capable of contributing to remedying the alleged harm, thus falling within the scope of this provision .

The VPN providers contested the applicability of Article L.333-10 to their services, arguing that they do not host content and that enforcing such blocks would compromise user privacy and security. They also raised concerns about jurisdiction and the compatibility of French law with European Union legislation. However, the court dismissed these objections, emphasizing that the VPN services facilitate access to infringing content and are therefore subject to the blocking measures .

The VPN Trust Initiative (VTI), representing several of the affected providers, has expressed strong opposition to the ruling. They argue that such measures threaten to undermine cybersecurity, privacy, and digital freedom for millions of users. VTI also warns that this precedent could lead to further regulatory overreach, potentially prompting VPN providers to reconsider their operations in France .

This decision marks a significant escalation in France’s efforts to combat online piracy, extending enforcement beyond traditional Internet Service Providers to include VPN services.

As rights holders continue to expand their legal toolkits, the role of VPNs in the digital piracy landscape is increasingly under scrutiny.

This case may well set a precedent for similar actions elsewhere in the EU and beyond.

And may mean that users of pirate IPTV services may no longer be safe from authorities.