Canal+ and LaLiga sign anti-piracy pact spanning nearly 50 countries

By Basile Day and Leo Marchandon

Sept 11 (Reuters) - French streamer Canal+ and Spanish football league LaLiga said on Friday they had signed an anti-piracy agreement spanning nearly 50 countries, joining forces to combat illegal streaming.

The partnership, covering markets in Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti where Canal+ broadcasts LaLiga, will combine the companies' anti-piracy technology and include joint investigations and lobbying work. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"The immediate next step is to bring our teams together and have them work jointly," Canal+ Chief Executive Maxime Saada told Reuters.

LaLiga President Javier Tebas said the deal had been months in the making and was aimed at improving the response to criminal networks that change tactics quickly.

"Piracy does affect the clubs' fundamental income source: audiovisual rights," Tebas said.

Broadcast income at Spanish professional clubs fell 5.2% to 1.43 billion euros ($1.66 billion) in 2024/25, while commercial revenue rose to 1.58 billion euros, overtaking broadcasting as the largest source of income, according to LaLiga.

"In virtually every rights negotiation around the world, piracy is raised," Tebas said. "Many rights holders have to do much more."

Saada said piracy in France was estimated to wipe out 1.5 billion euros in value and cost the state several hundred million euros in tax revenue each year.

Tebas said sophisticated networks were involved in piracy operations, citing China-based companies that mixed legal and illegal activities as an example of how complex structures allowed operators to evade laws.

($1 = 0.8626 euros)

(Reporting by Basile Day and Leo Marchandon in Gdansk; editing by)