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Tech & Innovation·July 2, 2026·1 min read

How a free YouTube channel is using the World Cup to destroy the broadcaster paywall

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Record-breaking World Cup audiences on a free Brazilian YouTube stream—accessed via VPN to dodge local paywalls—underscore that fans will route around regional rights if the UX and price delta are large enough. Rights holders and sports brands need distribution strategies that assume global, VPN-savvy audiences, not neatly fenced territories.

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