Warning issued to football fans planning to illegally stream this weekend

A new initiative is being launched.

Due to a rise in Internet Protocol Television users, illegal streaming has also increased.

Only last year, a YouGov poll revealed that one in 10 people in the UK use illegal broadcasts to watch sports.

Fans have been since warned that they could be 'intercepted' as part of a new anti-piracy initiative.

Two brothers were jailed last month for a combined 11 years behind bars after a crackdown on IPTV streaming.

Now, BeStreamWise plan to 'intercept' fans trying to find a stream for the Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal game, in order to prevent 'the dangers of digital piracy'.

Fans who click streaming links on Reddit and X will then alternatively be directed to a site showing footage of an actual stream, with a comedian providing football commentary.

BeStreamWise is an initiative set up by various large organisations to tackle illegal streaming, with its partners including the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), the Intellectual Property Office, BBC and Sky.

The Premier League is also a partner. BeStreamWise issued a warning statement ahead of the game on their website:

"In all cases, users should be on their guard. Sites and apps are often used to deliver dangerous or malicious content, such as malware, sophisticated scams, and extreme/explicit content," the statement read.

"And when consumers part with personal information, such as email addresses or payment details, they should be aware that they are sharing those details with criminal organisations."