UEFA Joins Global Anti-Piracy Coalition ACE, Becoming First Sports Rights-Holder Member

UEFA has become the first exclusive sports rights-holder to join the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s largest coalition dedicated to fighting digital piracy.

The landmark move places European football’s governing body alongside over 50 of the world’s leading entertainment companies in a coordinated global effort to protect creative and sporting content.

UEFA will take an active role in ACE’s Live Tier, a specialised program that focuses on dismantling illegal live-streaming operations targeting sports content.

Through this partnership, UEFA and UC3the body responsible for commercialising UEFA’s club competition rights will collaborate closely with ACE’s enforcement network and law enforcement agencies to curb online piracy in real time.

Commenting on the announcement, UEFA’s executive director of marketing, Guy-Laurent Epstein, said: “UEFA joining ACE represents a landmark moment in our global content protection strategy.”

“This partnership allows us to expand our enforcement capabilities, deepen our collaboration with industry leaders, and leverage ACE’s expertise to disrupt illegal services,” Epstein said.

ACE, led by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and chaired by Charles Rivkin, unites major global studios including Amazon, Apple TV, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

The alliance conducts worldwide enforcement actions through criminal referrals, civil litigation, and cease-and-desist operations to protect legitimate markets.

Adding his enthusiasm, chairman and CEO of the MPA and ACE, Charles Rivkin, added: “With UEFA joining the world’s largest anti-piracy coalition, we are strengthening our fight to detect, deter, and dismantle online piracy everywhere.”

“UEFA’s membership bolsters ACE’s ability to defend sports content in real time and protect football fans and broadcasters globally,” Rivkin said.

ACE’s Live Tier offers real-time intelligence sharing, global operational hubs, and advanced technology designed to tackle the immediacy of gameday piracy.

UEFA’s participation enhances its ability to protect the integrity of football broadcasts while safeguarding the revenues that sustain European football at both professional and grassroots levels.

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