Delhi High Court Makes Interim Ban Permanent Against 24 Websites Streaming ICC Champions Trophy 2025

In a judgment dated January 15, 2026, Justice Jyoti Singh passed a decree of permanent injunction, noting that none of the identified websites appeared before the Court or filed written statements despite being duly served with summons.

The Court observed that, “Plaintiff paid a significant amount towards consideration for acquisition of media rights expecting to earn substantial revenues from the broadcast and live streaming of the events on its digital platform. Illegal activities of Defendants No. 1 to 24 have caused irreparable harm to the Plaintiff and infringed its exclusive rights of broadcasting.”

Star India, a media and entertainment company, told the Court that it holds exclusive digital media and television broadcasting rights for various ICC cricket events in India for the period 2024-2027, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, under a Media Rights Agreement dated August 27, 2022. The tournament was held between February 19 and March 9, 2025, across Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The company stated that it operates multiple television channels and online streaming platforms, including Hotstar and JioCinema, through which it lawfully broadcasts live sporting events. It alleged that several rogue websites were illegally hosting and streaming matches of the tournament without authorization, thereby causing significant revenue loss and irreparable harm to its exclusive rights protected under the Copyright Act, 1957.

The Court recorded that it had earlier granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction on February 28, 2025, directing domain registrars to lock and suspend the infringing domain names and ordering internet service providers to block access to the websites. Despite service of summons, none of the rogue websites challenged the proceedings.

Although the ICC Champions Trophy ended in March 2025, the Court noted that the suit was filed while the tournament was ongoing and that the defendants did not appear or file written statements despite service. With the pleadings remaining uncontested, the Court proceeded to pass a final decree of permanent injunction.

It further observed that the websites were engaged in betting and gambling activities while simultaneously infringing broadcasting rights through unauthorized dissemination of sports content.

Finding clear infringement, the Court held that the illegal activities of the websites had caused irreparable harm to Star India, which had invested substantial sums to acquire exclusive media rights for the tournament.

Accordingly, the Court decreed the suit and granted a permanent injunction restraining the 24 rogue websites from hosting, streaming, communicating or making available any content relating to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 without authorization.

For Plaintiff: Advocate Ishi Singh

For Defendants: CGSC Rukhmini Bobde for D-42 and 43