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Marrakech – Morocco is hosting a high-level international conference today to combat audiovisual piracy ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off in the country on December 21.
The conference is organized by the Moroccan Copyright and Related Rights Office (BMDAV) in partnership with France’s National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and the European Union Delegation to Morocco.
It is supported by INTERPOL, the Motion Picture Association, and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). The event brings together regulators, law enforcement, judicial authorities, and private sector operators.
Dalal Mhamdi Alaoui, director of BMDAV, confirmed that broadcasting matches on unauthorized digital platforms constitutes illegal activity.
In an interview with SNRTnews, she stated that her office, alongside rights holders, will launch a “vast operation” taking all necessary legal measures to pursue offending platforms. She stressed the need to prevent what she called the “proliferation” of platforms that exploit football events to stream matches without authorization.
Recent investigations by ACE reveal a high concentration of piracy operators in Morocco in recent years, particularly in IPTV services, streaming, and content ripping. The organization’s research shows that some of these networks operate vast criminal systems targeting audiences across North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Despite increasing criminal complaints and technological advances enabling detection of these networks, only a small proportion of procedures result in convictions or permanent closures of illegal platforms. Organizers attribute this to slow procedures, complex technical infrastructures, and low priority given to intellectual property violations.
Sporting events expose illicit networks
Morocco’s strategic position as a distribution hub and digital bridge connecting North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East makes it both a key partner in protection efforts and a target for piracy networks exploiting its advanced hosting, telecommunications, and electronic payment infrastructure.
The conference focuses on four main areas: sharing experiences and best practices, improving cooperation mechanisms, accelerating blocking measures against pirate sites and servers, and strengthening technical and legal capacities of public and private actors.
With AFCON 2025 approaching, experts anticipate a significant increase in illegal live match streaming attempts. The conference aims to strengthen coordination between regulatory authorities, the judicial system, security services, and the private sector while raising awareness about the economic, social, and cultural impact of piracy.
According to organizers, this initiative extends beyond AFCON 2025. It forms part of a sustainable approach to make Morocco a central player in regional anti-piracy efforts through international cooperation, institutional capacity building, and public awareness about intellectual property violations’ consequences on creation, investment, and employment.
For the 52 matches of the tournament, legitimate access is guaranteed through official broadcasters.
BeIN Sports MENA holds exclusive rights for the Middle East and North Africa region. Morocco’s national broadcaster Arryadia will provide free-to-air coverage domestically.
Canal+ covers francophone Africa, while SuperSport serves anglophone markets through DStv and GOtv. In Europe, Channel 4 will broadcast all matches free in the UK and Ireland, while beIN Sports France holds French rights and Movistar Plus+ targets Spain.
The opening match between Morocco and Comoros takes place on December 21, with the final scheduled for January 18, 2026.
This conference follows a recent meeting in Casablanca on combating counterfeiting, organized by the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC) with INPI France and the EU Delegation, reflecting broader mobilization against illicit practices that intensify during major sporting events.
