Warning issued to British football fans planning to illegally stream this weekend

A new initiative is being launched.

Due to a rise in Internet Protocol Television users, there has also been an increase in illegal streaming.

Only last year, a YouGov poll revealed that one in ten Britons use illegal broadcasts to watch sports.

Fans have been since warned that they could be 'intercepted' as part of a new anti-piracy initiative.

Two brothers were jailed last month for a combined 11 years behind bars after a crackdown on IPTV streaming.

Now, BeStreamWise are planning to 'intercept' fans trying to find a stream for the Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal game, in order to prevent 'the dangers of digital piracy'.

Fans who click streaming links on Reddit and X will then alternatively be directed to a site showing footage of an actual stream, with a comedian providing football commentary.

BeStreamWise is a initiative set up by a variety of large organisations to tackle illegal streaming, with its partners including the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), the Intellectual Property Office, BBC and Sky.

The Premier League is also a partner.

BeStreamWise issued a warning statement ahead of the game on their website:

"In all cases, users should be on their guard. Sites and apps are often used to deliver dangerous or malicious content, such as malware, sophisticated scams, and extreme/explicit content," the statement read.

"And when consumers part with personal information, such as email addresses or payment details, they should be aware that they are sharing those details with criminal organisations."