In the first days of the 2026 World Cup, Mexico’s Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) had 57 illegal streaming addresses taken down around the opening match in Mexico City and 140 more around the Mexico–South Korea game in Guadalajara, while its brigades patrolled both stadiums. Earlier raids had already seized more than 99,000 counterfeit items. This IMPI anti-counterfeiting enforcement shows what Mexican law allows, and what a European brand entering Mexico needs in place before its own peak season.
Key takeaways
- IMPI combined physical operations and digital blocking, in coordination with internet service providers and the rights holders linked to the tournament.
- The Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property (LFPPI) lets IMPI order the suspension, blocking or removal of online content as a provisional measure (Article 344).
- IMPI can act on its own initiative, and did so in Mexico City on 8 June, but most measures still depend on a rights holder that proves title, posts a bond and follows up.
- A holder that obtains a provisional measure must file the infringement action within 20 days or answer for the damage caused.
What did IMPI do during the World Cup?
| Date | Action | Reported figures |
|---|---|---|
| 8 June 2026 | Raid at Plaza Cristal, Mexico City historic centre, through 20 inspection visits in ex officio administrative proceedings, with provisional seizure | About 65,934 items, estimated at MXN 6,016,577, allegedly infringing FIFA and sportswear brands (IMPI, 8 June) |
| Opening match, Mexico City | 15 brigades with 30 inspectors around the stadium; URLs used for unauthorised retransmission suspended, blocked or removed with internet service providers | 57 URLs (IMPI, 14 June) |
| From 11 June | Operations near the stadium at the request of FIFA and broadcaster Televisa; checks on establishments showing matches | 4 operations and 50 inspections; jerseys about 80% of pirated goods (La Razón, 16 June) |
| Mexico–South Korea, Guadalajara | 15 brigades around the stadium; preventive approach with vendors; digital takedowns | 350 vendors advised; 140 URLs removed (IMPI, 20 June) |
According to IMPI, operations at Plaza Olimpia (22 April), Izazaga (21 May) and Plaza Cristal (8 June) together seized more than 99,000 items, valued at MXN 13,885,030.
What legal tools does IMPI use against counterfeits and piracy?
The LFPPI, in force since 2020 and amended by a decree published on 3 April 2026, gives IMPI administrative powers that many European brand owners do not expect from an IP office:
- Article 344 lists provisional measures: withdrawing infringing goods from circulation, seizure, ordering infringers or third parties to stop, suspending customs clearance of infringing goods and, in fraction VII, ordering the suspension, blocking or removal of content through any digital means. It also allows IMPI to adopt these measures ex officio.
- Article 345 sets what a requesting party must do: prove it owns the right and show an infringement, an imminent one, a risk of irreparable harm or a risk that evidence will be destroyed; post a bond; and identify the goods, premises or digital platforms involved.
- Article 349 makes the applicant liable for the damage caused if it does not file the substantive claim within 20 days of the measure being carried out.
- Article 386 lists administrative infringements. Since April 2026 it includes falsely suggesting an official sponsorship link between a sign and a mass public or private event, which is directly relevant to major tournaments.
- Article 388 allows fines of up to 250,000 units of measure and update (UMA) per conduct, plus daily fines and closure of premises.
Does IMPI act on its own or only at the rights holder’s request?
Both. The Plaza Cristal raid came from ex officio proceedings, and the law lets IMPI impose provisional measures without a bond when it acts on its own initiative. During the tournament, IMPI also acted with FIFA, Televisa and other holders of rights linked to the event.
For a European company, the practical conclusion is different. IMPI concentrates its own initiative on high-visibility events and well-known brands. A mid-sized brand that wants raids, takedowns or customs suspension should plan to request them itself, with registered rights in Mexico, evidence and a bond ready.
What this means for your business
- Register your marks and designs in Mexico before launch. Mexico is a member of the Madrid System, so an international registration can include it.
- Prepare an enforcement file: certificates, a guide to telling genuine from fake products, known sellers, URLs and marketplaces.
- Budget for the bond and for the infringement action that must follow within 20 days.
- Monitor online channels before the sales peak; blocking orders need specific URLs.
- Coordinate customs: Article 344 allows suspension of infringing imports, which works best when customs knows your products.
If you want this prepared before entering the Mexican market, our team for anti-counterfeiting and IP enforcement in Mexico and Latin America can coordinate it with your trade mark registrations.
Where foreign brands get enforcement in Mexico wrong
- Waiting for IMPI to act alone. Ex officio action exists, but it is not a plan for a brand that is not on IMPI’s radar.
- Owning rights only in Europe. Without a Mexican registration or designation, there is little to enforce.
- Requesting measures without a follow-up plan. Missing the 20-day deadline exposes the applicant to damages.
Frequently asked questions
Can IMPI block illegal streaming websites in Mexico?
Yes. Article 344, fraction VII, of the LFPPI allows IMPI to order the suspension, blocking or removal of content that infringes the law through any digital means. During the 2026 World Cup, IMPI reported 57 URLs taken down around the opening match and 140 around the Guadalajara game.
Does IMPI need a complaint from the rights holder to act?
Not always. The LFPPI lets IMPI start proceedings and adopt provisional measures on its own initiative, as it did in a Mexico City raid on 8 June 2026. In practice, a rights holder that wants action should request it, proving ownership, providing evidence and posting a bond.
What happens after IMPI grants a provisional measure?
The applicant must file the substantive claim, before IMPI or the competent authority, within 20 days of the measure being carried out. If it does not, or if the final decision finds no infringement, the applicant is liable for the damage caused to the party affected by the measure.
Can IP Global Guard handle anti-counterfeiting action in Mexico for a European brand?
Yes. We review your Mexican registrations, prepare the evidence and the enforcement strategy, and coordinate qualified local counsel to request IMPI measures and file the follow-up action. You keep one point of contact for Mexico, the rest of Latin America and Europe.
How IP Global Guard can protect your brand in Mexico
Mexico has fast tools against counterfeits, but they reward holders who prepare in advance. IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, coordinates registration and enforcement across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa, with one strategy and one billing relationship; see our coverage across the corridor.
Tell us which marks you sell in Mexico, your launch dates and where you see copies. We will check your rights and prepare the enforcement file before your peak season. Contact our Latin America enforcement team.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the position on its date of publication.
Sources
- IMPI, El IMPI impulsa acciones contra la piratería y el streaming ilegal en el marco de la Copa Mundial FIFA 2026 (14 June 2026)
- IMPI, IMPI refuerza acciones preventivas contra la piratería en el Estadio Guadalajara (20 June 2026)
- IMPI, IMPI intensifica operativos contra piratería en el Centro Histórico (8 June 2026)
- La Razón (Mexico), Por pasar partidos bajan 57 canales de streaming (16 June 2026)
- Chamber of Deputies of Mexico, Ley Federal de Protección a la Propiedad Industrial (last amended DOF 3 April 2026)
