FIFA Demands Arabsat Halt Unauthorized Broadcasts of Women’s World Cup by Saudi-Based beoutQ

FIFA has issued a formal request to Arabsat, the Saudi-backed satellite broadcaster, demanding an immediate stop to the unauthorized transmission of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 matches. These illegal broadcasts originate from beoutQ, a Saudi-based pirate network that has been retransmitting feeds from the Doha-based beIN Sports since 2017.

Screenshots from beoutQ’s coverage of England’s victory over Scotland at the Women’s World Cup clearly display the beIN Sports logo, underscoring the unauthorized nature of the broadcasts. FIFA confirmed to the Associated Press that it is aware of these unauthorized transmissions across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with Saudi Arabia being the primary location of the pirate broadcasts.

"BeoutQ’s unauthorized transmissions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 are made available by way of Arabsat satellite frequencies," FIFA stated. "We are therefore seeking the cooperation of Arabsat in addressing the misuse of FIFA’s intellectual property."

Arabsat, founded in 1976 by Arab League members, is majority-owned by Saudi Arabia, which holds a 36.7 percent stake. FIFA emphasized that it is actively exploring all legal options to combat beoutQ’s infringement and is collaborating with other rights holders similarly affected by the piracy.

The piracy dispute is deeply intertwined with the ongoing diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia and its allies have imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and aligning with Iran—allegations Qatar denies. As part of this conflict, Saudi authorities have declared beIN Sports illegal within their jurisdiction.

In response, beIN Sports has pursued legal action against Arabsat in French courts and launched a dedicated website, beoutq.tv, to expose what it describes as "industrial scale theft" of broadcast rights. The site documents illegal programming across more than 20 countries and implicates prominent Saudi figures, including Saud al-Qahtani, a close advisor to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been linked to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Yousef al-Obaidly, CEO of beIN Group, stated on Sunday, "Even if we are illegally denied access to justice in Saudi Arabia, we will use every means possible to hold beoutQ and Arabsat to account for their daily theft of rights-holders’ intellectual property."

He further noted, "We are not fighting this battle alone—the weight of the international community is now firmly coming to bear on Saudi Arabia to end its safe haven for piracy, which is destroying not only the economic model of the global sports and entertainment industry but the livelihoods of content creators all around the world."

Earlier in January, FIFA, UEFA, and the Asian Football Confederation issued a joint statement alongside the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, and Spanish La Liga condemning the "persistent and illegal screening" of matches in the Middle East where beIN holds exclusive rights.

This ongoing dispute highlights the challenges of protecting intellectual property rights in regions affected by geopolitical tensions and underscores FIFA’s commitment to safeguarding its broadcast rights through legal and cooperative measures.