NordVPN & ProtonVPN Ordered by Spanish Court to Block Pirate Streams

A Spanish court has issued what many are calling a first-of-its-kind ruling, ordering NordVPN and ProtonVPN to block IP addresses tied to illegal LaLiga football streams.

This decision labels VPN providers as “technological intermediaries” and treats them the same way courts have treated Internet service providers for years.

Commercial Court No. 1 of Córdoba granted emergency injunctions requested by LaLiga and its broadcasting partner Telefónica Audiovisual Digital (TAD). Both VPN companies must now make flagged IP addresses inaccessible from Spain during match broadcasts.

Here is what makes this ruling so alarming for everyday VPN users around the world.

How the VPN Blocking Order Works

The court issued these orders “inaudita parte,” a Latin term meaning “without hearing the other side.” Neither NordVPN nor ProtonVPN were present in court or given a chance to defend themselves before the ruling came down. There is no immediate appeal option available.

LaLiga can update its blocklist at any time when new illegal streams pop up. This forces the VPN companies to receive and apply new blocks during live match windows, mirroring the real-time blocking system already imposed on Spanish ISPs.

The court did acknowledge a risk of over blocking. Past Spanish blocking measures have affected innocent websites that shared IP addresses with pirate services. LaLiga and Telefónica must preserve digital evidence proving flagged IPs are connected to illegal content, but how well this safeguard will work remains an open question.

VPN Companies Push Back

ProtonVPN learned about the ruling from news reports, not from any court notification. The Swiss-based company issued a statement calling the order “procedurally invalid” since they were never given a chance to present their case.

NordVPN, headquartered in Panama, called the approach “unacceptable” and confirmed it had no involvement in any Spanish legal proceedings. The company also pointed out that targeting paid VPN services while free VPNs go untouched does nothing to stop piracy at its source.

Enforcement presents a major hurdle for LaLiga. ProtonVPN operates out of Switzerland and NordVPN out of Panama. Neither country falls under EU jurisdiction, raising serious doubts about whether a Spanish commercial court can compel foreign companies to comply.

Other VPN companies like Windscribe were also very critical on this court ruling. VPN users also chimed in their thoughts on various Reddit threads.

Why This Matters for VPN Users

This ruling sets a troubling precedent that could spread beyond Spain. France already ordered five major VPN providers to block over 200 illegal sports streaming sites earlier in 2025, and those orders remain under appeal.

If more courts start treating VPN companies like ISPs, the privacy tools millions of people rely on for legitimate reasons could face restrictions across the globe. Many users depend on VPN services for security, remote work access, and protecting personal data from third parties.

This latest move is part of LaLiga’s growing anti-piracy campaign. The league has already targeted individuals with fines, gone after Cloudflare customers, and deployed fear tactics against streaming pirates.”

Final Thoughts from Troy

This Spanish ruling marks the first time a court has ordered VPN providers to block IP addresses in this manner.

While LaLiga celebrates a “landmark victory” as noted in their press release, the practical enforcement against companies based in Switzerland and Panama remains highly uncertain.

The bigger concern here is that other leagues, studios, and copyright holders may follow this playbook in their own countries. VPN users everywhere should pay close attention to how this situation develops over the coming months.

For more details on this story, refer to the reports from El Economista and TorrentFreak.

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