FIFA faces rights-holder backlash over ExpressVPN World Cup sponsor deal

French media rights stakeholders and LaLiga have lodged a complaint with FIFA over its decision to sign ExpressVPN as an official sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The complaint argues that FIFA’s partnership with a virtual private network provider sends the wrong message to broadcasters and leagues trying to limit illegal streaming of live football.The complainants described the sponsorship as “disastrous” for rights holders seeking to protect the value of sports media contracts.ExpressVPN was announced as a World Cup sponsor before the tournament and has received prominent visibility during FIFA’s flagship event.VPN services are legal privacy tools, but they can also be used by consumers to mask location, bypass geo-restrictions and access unauthorised streams.That creates a commercial tension for sports rights holders, whose broadcast agreements are sold by territory and depend on market exclusivity.French rights holders have been especially active in anti-piracy enforcement, with courts previously ordering several VPN providers, including ExpressVPN, to block access to domains linked to illegal sports streaming.The complaint is understood to involve French anti-piracy organisation APPS, with support from LFP Media, as well as LaLiga in Spain.Both markets have taken a tougher stance against illegal football streaming as domestic leagues seek to protect media revenues and support future rights values.FIFA has defended the partnership, maintaining that ExpressVPN is a legitimate consumer technology brand and that the agreement does not promote unlawful use.ExpressVPN has also said its service should not be used for illegal activity.The dispute highlights a wider sponsorship risk for FIFA as global technology brands move deeper into sport while their products intersect with rights protection, data privacy and content access.World Cup media rights are FIFA’s largest commercial revenue stream, making the concerns of broadcasters and leagues strategically significant even when the sponsorship category itself is legally permitted.The issue also creates a reputational challenge because FIFA is asking media partners to pay high fees for territorial exclusivity while promoting a company associated by critics with tools that can undermine that model.The complaint does not require FIFA to cancel the agreement, but it increases pressure on the governing body to explain how the sponsorship sits alongside its anti-piracy commitments.FIFA will now need to manage the concerns of European rights holders while continuing to activate a global partner during the remainder of the World Cup.