The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and DAZN have successfully shut down Calcio, one of the largest pirate sports streaming websites operating today.

The Moldova-based operation agreed to cease all activities after being contacted by the anti-piracy coalition. Calcio attracted over 123 million visits during the past year across 134 different domains.

Calcio served as Italy’s most popular sports streaming website, drawing more than 6 million monthly visitors from the country alone.

With ACE’s recent victory shutting down a Streameast operation in Egypt, the anti-piracy group is showing no signs of slowing down.

What Content Was Available on Calcio

The illegal platform provided unauthorized access to premium sports programming across multiple categories. Users could stream top European football leagues including Serie A, Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 without paying subscription fees.

The service also offered UEFA club competitions like Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League matches. International tournaments such as FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO were available alongside basketball games from the NBA.

Motor racing fans found Formula 1 and MotoGP coverage, while tennis enthusiasts could watch major tournaments through the platform.

Geographic Reach and Impact

Traffic analysis revealed that 80% of Calcio’s audience came from Italy. Spain, the United States, Germany, and France represented smaller portions of the user base.

“Shutting down illegal operations like Calcio is vital for protecting fans, safeguarding jobs, and preserving the value and integrity of live sports,” stated Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group.

The timing proved significant as the Italian football season was beginning. Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer for the Motion Picture Association, praised the operation’s swift execution.

All former Calcio domains now redirect visitors to ACE’s Watch Legally website, which promotes authorized streaming services and educates users about legal viewing options.

Final Thoughts

While ACE and DAZN celebrate another anti-piracy victory with Calcio’s shutdown, thousands of similar illegal sports streaming operations continue operating worldwide.

This takedown represents just one small piece in the massive piracy ecosystem that seems to grow faster than enforcement agencies can shut sites down.

Media companies might see better results by focusing resources on making sports content more affordable and accessible rather than spending millions on endless enforcement battles.

For more details on this story, refer to the official press release from ACE.

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