Calcio, an illicit live sports streaming website based in Moldova, drew more than 123 million visits in the past 12 months across 134 domains. A Caldio in Diretta Guida app was also available for Android.
Eighty percent of the traffic came from Italy, with smaller percentages originating from Spain, the United States, Germany, and France. With over 6 million monthly visits from Italy alone, it was the most popular sports streaming website in that country.
The service provided unauthorized access to premium sports content including top European football leagues such as Serie A, Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1; UEFA club competitions including Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League; international competitions such as FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO; basketball leagues including the NBA; motorsports (including Formula 1 and Moto GP), tennis matches, and more.
The shutdown followed a coordinated investigation led by the MPA’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) in collaboration with the anti-piracy team of DAZN, the online sports broadcaster. The operator of the service agreed to cease operations after being approached.
“Shutting down illegal operations like Calcio is vital for protecting fans, safeguarding jobs, and preserving the value and integrity of live sports,” said Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group. “ACE and DAZN’s decisive action in removing this site has prevented further harm to the wellbeing of the sports ecosystem.”
All Calcio domains have been transferred to ACE and are now redirected to ACE’s Watch Legally site.
Further reading
ACE and DAZN shut down Calcio, one of italy’s most visited illicit sports streaming networks. Press release. September 8, 2025. ACE (Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment)
Why it matters
“Piracy diminishes the commercial value of a live sports broadcast well before the final whistle blows, harming broadcasters, sports leagues, and fans alike,” said Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer for the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “With the start of the Italian football season, I commend the team for the timely takedown of this notorious operation.”
