The Premier League is collaborating with Astro to launch the latest edition of its annual ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign in Malaysia, highlighting the hidden risks that illegal streaming poses to fans.
The fifth edition in Malaysia features some of the biggest stars in football are lending their voices to educate fans through the League’s ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign. With Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Raul Jimenez (Fulham), Dan Burn (Newcastle United) and Matty Cash (Aston Villa) featured for this year’s campaign, they are urging fans to stream safely and legally, highlighting that accessing content through pirate websites and illicit streaming devices (ISDs) places users at significant risk.
Cybercriminals exploit illegal streaming services, exposing Malaysian fans to malware, phishing scams, and inappropriate content. These risks can compromise personal security.
A study by cybersecurity expert Professor Paul Watters showed that most pirate websites contain malware or scams, often promoting harmful ads related to gambling or adult content.
The findings of the research showed that in Malaysia:
- Pirate websites are over 12 times riskier than mainstream sites in exposing people to scams.
- Every pirate website flagged at least one cyber threat (malware, phishing or scams).
- Nearly half of all ads (45 per cent) on pirate websites promote harmful content.
- Analysis of illicit ISDs and pirate apps found that users may unwittingly have their internet connections hijacked and linked to criminal activity, exposing them to fraud, malware, and even law enforcement investigations.
Premier League General Counsel Kevin Plumb said: “Illegal streaming may feel harmless, but the risks go far beyond poor video quality. Research conducted by cybersecurity experts continually highlights the significant dangers of using pirate websites and devices.
“Working with our broadcast partners and local authorities around the world, we continue to take action against those who provide illegal streams, but piracy is a problem that is always evolving.
“Through the Boot Out Piracy campaign, we highlight that those who stream Premier League football through pirate websites and devices are in danger of exposing themselves and their family members to data theft, cyber threats and scams, which can prove extremely costly.
“We are pleased to partner with Astro to bring this important message to fans in Malaysia and encourage fans to stream Premier League football safely and responsibly.”
As the exclusive broadcaster of the Premier League in Malaysia, Astro plays an important role in the ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign.
Chief Executive Officer of Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad, Euan Daryl Smith, said, “Fans who legally enjoy the game should know that not everyone does the same. The sad truth is that many still choose to pirate despite the ethics and the risks that they may not even know they are taking. Piracy brings dangers most people don’t see, from scams and data theft to malware that can compromise family safety.
“At Astro, we are relentless in taking action against piracy perpetrators, recovering close to RM300,000 through the courts and blocking hundreds of thousands of illegal sites, links and pirated streams.
“These efforts are not only about protecting our business, but also about keeping fans safe and safeguarding the livelihoods of everyone who works hard to bring football to our screens.
“Working with the Premier League and the authorities, our focus is simple: to ensure fans can watch the game they love in the safest and most reliable way possible.”
In the 2025/25 season, the Premier League identified over 645,000 illegal live online streams and nearly 900,000 unauthorized match clips. Collaborating with partners, 200,000 domains were blocked in the APAC region. The Premier League is working with Astro and Malaysian law enforcement to combat piracy, reinforcing its intellectual property rights and supporting broadcast partners. Astro also enhanced its anti-piracy efforts, shutting down 748,000 websites and social media links, and removing 580 Telegram groups with 32.2 million subscribers.
The ‘Boot Out Piracy’ campaign was launched on 29 September 2025 during an event in Kuala Lumpur, emphasizing the importance of intellectual property protection and the risks associated with piracy while fostering collaboration among stakeholders to strengthen anti-piracy initiatives.
The event was attended by distinguished guests, including YAM Tengku Panglima Perang Tengku Ahmad Ismail Mu’adzam Shah, Yang Berhormat Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications, His Excellency Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia and Euan Daryl Smith , Astro Group Chief Executive Officer.
H.E. Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia, said, “Football has a unique power to connect people and cultures and nowhere is that more evident than in Malaysia. The Premier League, which is one of the UK’s most iconic cultural exports, contributes enormously towards the people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“I support the Premier League’s efforts to raise awareness about the risks around content piracy, and to highlight the importance of working with our partners in Malaysia to ensure Malaysian fans can enjoy the game safely.”
The Boot Out Piracy campaign will be showcased across broadcast channels and social media platforms in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in the upcoming months.