Cloudflare vs. LaLiga: The clash of titans threatening the internet in Spain
By Kike Gandia · Research · 4 min read
The conflict between LaLiga and Cloudflare began in early February 2025, when LaLiga stepped up its anti-piracy measures:
Initial actions
Blocking orders
- LaLiga began ordering internet service providers to temporarily block shared IP addresses belonging to Cloudflare.
- The blocks were enforced during soccer match broadcasts to stop illegal streams.
Immediate impact
- Thousands of legitimate websites and applications were affected by the blocks
- Many businesses lost operations and sales while the blocks were in place.
Legal basis
Court ruling
LaLiga is acting on a court order that allows it to require operators such as Movistar or Digi to block IP addresses.
Cloudflare argues that LaLiga obtained this ruling without consulting cloud service providers and while concealing the potential harm to third parties.
The situation quickly escalated into an open legal dispute, with Cloudflare taking legal action against LaLiga on the grounds that the blocks are disproportionate and unlawful.
Cloudflare vs. LaLiga: The clash of titans threatening the internet in Spain
What started as an anti-piracy crusade has escalated into a legal battle with massive implications for Spain's digital infrastructure. Cloudflare, one of the leading companies in web service protection and optimization, has taken legal action against LaLiga over what it calls "indiscriminate and clumsy" IP blocking that affects thousands of businesses and users across the country. The fight between the multinational and the soccer league is hitting businesses, online stores and users who depend on the internet for their day-to-day activity hardest of all.
Mass blocking: a blow to the open internet
For months now, LaLiga has been having Cloudflare IP addresses blocked through operators such as Movistar, DIGI and Vodafone in order to fight illegal match streaming. The "collateral damage" of these measures, however, has been devastating. Digital services, e-commerce platforms, payment systems and communication tools have suffered outages that have cut traffic and, in many cases, caused losses running into the millions.
The restrictions are concentrated on weekends after 2:00 p.m. and on other match days, leaving many businesses without access to critical tools precisely when demand peaks. In fact, it is estimated that up to 20% of websites worldwide have been affected by these blocks at some point.
The hit to businesses and widespread outrage
The impact has been immediate and crushing. Many businesses have reported traffic drops of up to 30%, with a direct effect on their sales and reputation. Some payment platforms have suffered critical outages, leaving customers unable to make purchases or reach essential services. Tech companies that rely on Cloudflare to optimize and protect their platforms have seen their performance suffer, with customers reporting trouble accessing popular services such as GitHub, Telegram and even Instagram.
The frustration has spread to Movistar, O2, DIGI, Vodafone and MasOrange customers, who have reported recurring access problems on key days. Movistar, for its part, has started partially lifting the blocks as customers leave, making it clear that LaLiga's strategy could become a problem for the operators themselves.
Cloudflare strikes back: the lawsuit against LaLiga
Fed up with what it considers unjustified aggression, Cloudflare has taken LaLiga to court seeking to overturn the ruling that allows these blocks. The company argues that the Spanish league obtained the order without informing the court of the negative impact on third parties, which would make the measure an abuse of the legal process.
Cloudflare describes LaLiga's strategy as a "clumsy and ineffective approach" that not only fails to curb piracy but also erodes the principles of a free and accessible internet. It has also deployed IP rotation systems to mitigate the blocks, although this has not been enough to fully prevent harm to users.
LaLiga fights back: "We do not block indiscriminately"
LaLiga, for its part, was quick to hit back hard. It denies that the blocks are massive or arbitrary and maintains that it only targets IP addresses used to stream illegal content. It also accuses Cloudflare of profiting from protecting platforms that operate outside the law, and points out that the company has faced similar litigation in countries such as France, Germany and Italy.
The league insists that its operation is "an effective action carried out by a specialized team." It has also doubled down on its accusations against Cloudflare, claiming that its infrastructure has been used to shield serious criminal activity, from pimping to online fraud.
A battle that could shape the future of the internet in Spain
The conflict between Cloudflare and LaLiga is not just a dispute over illegal sports streaming; it is a clash of philosophies about regulation and freedom online. While LaLiga defends its right to block platforms that facilitate piracy, Cloudflare warns that allowing measures like these sets a dangerous precedent for digital censorship.
The Spanish courts will have the final say on whether the IP blocking continues or whether a stop is put to what many see as an abuse of power. In the meantime, the businesses and users caught in the crossfire keep paying the price of a war that, for now, shows no sign of ending.
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