Honduras IP Enforcement Operations Against Businesses Screening World Cup Matches Without Authorization

By Bufete Mejía & Asociados

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already underway, and for Honduran businesses it has proven one of the year's strongest commercial moments. Restaurants, bars, and hotels have been capitalizing on heightened foot traffic by screening matches for their customers — but doing so without proper authorization can turn that opportunity into a significant financial liability.

Honduras's intellectual property authority — the Instituto de la Propiedad (IP), operating through its General Directorate of Intellectual Property (DIGPI) — has confirmed that the unauthorized public transmission or retransmission of World Cup broadcast signals is subject to fines ranging from 10 to 200 times the minimum wage. Based on Honduras's average monthly minimum wage of L 14,917.20 (approximately USD $600) for 2026, that translates to penalties starting at roughly L 149,000 (approx. USD $6,000) and reaching up to L 2.98 million (approx. USD $120,000), in addition to the seizure of any equipment used for the unauthorized screening.

The Domestic-Use Distinction

A point that has consistently generated confusion among business operators: holding a personal cable television subscription or a consumer streaming account does not authorize a commercial establishment to publicly screen the content. Such accounts are licensed strictly for private, domestic use. The commercial public performance of broadcast content requires a separate commercial license — a well-established principle in copyright and neighboring rights law.

Territorial Scope of Broadcast Rights

Honduras's IP authority has emphasized that broadcast rights are territorial in nature. A signal or licensing agreement valid in another country does not authorize its retransmission in Honduran territory. FIFA, for its part, has been actively enforcing its broadcasting rights and trademarks against unauthorized uses throughout the tournament.

Enforcement Already Underway

The IP institute has received reports of unauthorized World Cup signals being used in restaurants located in well-known shopping centers and in sports bars. Authorities have launched active field operations (operativos) to detect and sanction violations as the tournament progresses.

Among the forms of unauthorized transmission specifically flagged by regulators: unlicensed cable operators, pirate IPTV services, and websites or applications retransmitting matches without a valid license. Authorities have also warned that large-scale public viewing events — such as open-air screenings — are equally subject to sanctions if they lack the corresponding authorization.