Football live streaming sites face clampdown: Illegal links to watch Premier League games online return with new season

The opening game between Manchester United and Leicester is yet to kick off and piracy is already rife

Manchester United face Leicester City in the opening game of the 2018/19 Premier League season and illegal links to a live stream of the game are set to appear across Reddit, Facebook and other social media sites (Reuters)

The 2018/19 Premier League season is set to kick off on Friday, with Manchester United facing Leicester City in the opening match of the season.

The game is set to be broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League, as well as through Sky Go and Now TV, however football fans hoping to watch the game for free may also turn to illegal live stream sites.

Last season, more than 200,000 illegal streams were shut down and a blocking order passed by the UK High Court last month could see even more live links blocked this season. Piracy experts have warned that anyone distributing illegal links could face severe penalties.

Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT, warns football fans that illegally streaming matches could risk prosecution, citing the recent sentencing of John Haggerty in relation to Premier League streaming.

“As the Premier League season starts, the public should be aware that it is illegal to watch a match that is streamed through social media, on a piracy site, or using a device, box or stick connected to your TV," Mr Sharp said in a statement shared with The Independent.

"Similarly using one of these methods to stream premium TV, sports and films for which you should have an official subscription is also breaking the law. The recent sentencing of John Haggerty, along with the extended Premier League blocking order are proof of this and another step forward in tackling the issue of illegal streaming."

Pep Guardiola got the better of Jose Mourinho last season (Getty)

The Premier League illegal stream blocking order allows companies – including BT, EE, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media – to shut down any illegal streams being broadcast on their network.

"FACT is leading the way in combatting digital piracy and we will continue to work with the Premier League, industry and law enforcement agencies across the UK to clamp down on illegal content that poses a real threat to the creative industries, the UK economy and the livelihoods of the 1.9 million people working behind the scenes of our favourite sport, TV and film," Mr Sharp added.