OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP
Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal during a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu (October 26, 2025).
LALIGA and Telefónica Audiovisual Digital (TAD) have been notified of several rulings from Commercial Court No. 1 in Córdoba regarding cases of illegal streaming services.
The rulings grant precautionary measures, taken without prior notice to the defendants, against NordVPN and ProtonVPN, acknowledging the responsibility of these technology intermediaries in the process of pirating LALIGA matches.
Both companies are required to immediately implement appropriate measures within their internal systems to prevent access from Spain to IP addresses provided by the plaintiffs.
Prior verification confirmed that NordVPN and ProtonVPN were facilitating the illegal transmission of protected audiovisual content.
These measures are dynamic and not subject to appeal.
The rulings recognize that VPN (Virtual Private Network) service providers are technology intermediaries falling within the scope of application of the European Union’s Digital Services Regulation.
As such, they are subject to the obligation to prevent, at a minimum, infringements through their company infrastructure.
the rulings detail how VPN systems have proven to be a suitable means of circumventing geographical restrictions on online content access.
Specifically, the systems are described as “highly effective and easily accessible, enabling access to content that is inaccessible from a specific geographical point” by altering the actual geographical location of a user’s online access.
Recent court decisions in Spain are targeting VPN services used to illegally stream LaLiga soccer matches, marking a significant step in combating online piracy. The rulings against NordVPN and ProtonVPN highlight a growing trend of holding technology companies accountable for facilitating copyright infringement.
The Córdoba court acknowledged the role of VPNs as technological intermediaries under the EU’s Digital Services Regulation, compelling them to take action against unauthorized access to copyrighted content. This decision underscores the increasing regulatory scrutiny of VPN providers and their responsibility to prevent illegal activities on their networks.
According to the court, VPNs are “highly effective and easily accessible” tools for bypassing geographical restrictions, allowing users to access content they are not authorized to view. The court ordered the companies to block IP addresses used for illegal streaming from within Spain, a dynamic measure that cannot be appealed.
The case demonstrates a proactive approach to protecting intellectual property rights in the digital age and could set a precedent for similar actions against VPN providers in other regions. LaLiga and Telefónica Audiovisual Digital are actively pursuing legal avenues to protect their content and revenue streams from unauthorized distribution.
