The Delhi High Court has granted an ex parte dynamic+ injunction in favour of British sports content streaming platform DAZN, to prevent rogue websites from streaming the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup 2025, over which DAZN holds exclusive streaming rights [Dazn Limited & Anr vs Buffsports.me & Ors].
DAZN submitted that it had acquired the exclusive media rights to broadcast the ongoing football tournament, which is taking place in the United States of America.
It discovered that certain rogue websites are illegally broadcasting its streams on their websites without permission or license and resorting to redirection and masking to hide their identities.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee observed that a prima facie case of copyright infringement has been made out against the rogue websites.
“The present case, prima facie, appears to be a classic case of copyright infringement by masked players like the defendant nos.1 to 23, who use the veil of today’s technology to conveniently conceal their true identities and unabashedly abuse and enrich themselves by using the protected works of parties like the plaintiff herein through URL redirection/ masking, etc.,” the Court stated.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee
Justice Saurabh Banerjee
DAZN is rightfully entitled to protection against such copyright infringement by rogue websites, the Court observed. Such entities have to be stopped at the earliest or legitimate rights would be put in serious jeopardy, it added.
“In light of the above, under the present scenario, especially, since the plaintiffs (DAZN) are legally rightful owners of the intellectual property rights therein, i.e. both qua its original works as well as the licensed works for exclusive broadcasting, the plaintiff is well and truly entitled to seek and obtain protection. More so, since the infringing acts of the defendant nos.1 to 23 are without obtaining any kind of permission/ authorization/ right/ title/ interest from the plaintiffs,” the Court noted.
Accordingly, the Court granted dynamic+ injunction in DAZN’s favour.
“Such a relief is called for in the present matter, especially, in view of the fact that the Exclusive right pertain to the renowned FIFA WORLD CUP, any delay in blocking these ‘rogue websites’ would, in fact, result in irreparable loss and injury to the plaintiffs and cause violation of the intellectual property rights of the plaintiffs,” the Court observed.
The Court also granted liberty to DAZN to approach the domain name registrars and internet service providers in future for blocking more such websites, if any, found illegally streaming its content.
“As such, upon receiving the said intimation from the plaintiff, the concerned ISPs and DNRs shall take steps to immediately block the said domain names associated with the defendant websites on real time basis,” the Court directed.
The matter will be heard next on October 8.
Advocates Siddharth Chopra, Yatinder Garg, Akshay Maloo and Ishi Singh appeared for DAZN.
