Guardia Civil shuts KodiSpain football pirate
April 29, 2026
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Spain’s Guardia Civil has dealt a fresh blow to online piracy after blocking KodiSpain, a platform that allegedly provided illegal access to live Spanish football matches.
The operation followed a joint complaint filed by LaLiga and Telefónica. Users were reportedly able to watch matches from Spain’s top two divisions through the service.
The latest move forms part of a broader campaign against piracy in Spain, coming shortly after recent judicial action targeting the so-called network of ‘Dash, the Iranian’.
In a statement, the Guardia Civil said officers from its Madrid command had investigated an individual suspected of involvement in a digital network that promoted unauthorised access to live broadcasts of matches from the Spanish First and Second Divisions.
Investigators said they identified the use of legitimate software that had been adapted for criminal purposes. Specially programmed components were allegedly added to redirect users towards audiovisual sources carrying football matches, bypassing security and copyright protection systems.
Authorities said they examined more than 91,000 files and around 25,000 lines of code in order to reconstruct how the system operated and identify its structure.
KodiSpain was not an official application in itself, but rather a Spanish community built around Kodi, the open-source media player which supports third-party add-ons.
According to the Guardia Civil, the network also distributed guides, instructions and match links through a messaging channel with more than 26,000 active followers.
A male suspect has been identified and placed under investigation for alleged offences relating to intellectual property as well as market and consumer crimes.
Authorities also warned that installing unverified software on users’ devices can expose them to malware, viruses, data theft and unauthorised access to personal electronics.
The case marks another significant escalation in Spain’s battle against illegal sports streaming with LaLiga president Javier Tebas spearheading the crackdown actions.
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