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Premier League fans who attempt to illegally stream football this weekend have been warned they could be 'intercepted' as part of a new anti-piracy initiative.

The rise of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology has helped to contribute to an upsurge in illegal streaming of sports events in recent years.

Last year a YouGov poll found that one in ten Britons are now using illegal broadcasts to watch sport, including the Premier League.

Fans have been warned about the potential consequences of accessing illegal streams following a number of recent convictions of those involved.

Two brothers were sentenced to a combined 11 years behind bars last month after a crackdown on illegal IPTV streaming, which is often accessed through jailbroken Fire Sticks.

Meanwhile, broadcasters Sky have been working with police forces across the UK to target those responsible for setting up the illegal services.

Now, a new anti-piracy scheme has been set up to target Premier League fans ahead of the north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham on Sunday, which will be shown live on Sky Sports.

BeStreamWise is planning to 'intercept' football fans searching for an illegal stream for the game in the hopes of protecting them from 'the dangers of digital piracy'.

Fans who click faux streaming links on Reddit and X will instead be redirected to a site showing footage of an actual stream, with a 'well-known' comedian providing football commentary.

BeStreamWise is a cross-body initiative set up by several organisations to counter illegal streaming, with its partners including the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), the Intellectual Property Office and Crimestoppers UK.

The BBC, Sky and ITV are also partners, as is the Premier League.

In a statement on its website, BeStreamWise warn fans that illegally streaming sport could open them up to several other risks in addition to potential legal action.

"In all cases, users should be on their guard. Sites and apps are often used to deliver dangerous or malicious content, such as malware, sophisticated scams, and extreme/explicit content," read the statement.

"And when consumers part with personal information, such as email addresses or payment details, they should be aware that they are sharing those details with criminal organisations."

Tottenham Hotspur star Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the English Football Association.

The Argentine was charged over comments made regarding Spurs teammate Son Heung Min this summer.

When speaking on Uruguayan TV, Bentacur was asked by a presenter for a Spurs shirt, to which he replied: “Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same.”

The 27-year-old later apologised, writing: “Sonny brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke.

“You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you, brother!”

On his own social media, Son wrote: “I've spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.

“We're past this, we're united and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one.”

On Thursday, it was reported that Bentancur had been charged by the FA.

A statement from the FA read: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.

“It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.”

It continued: “It’s further alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach” which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

“Rodrigo Bentancur has until Thursday 19 September 2024 to provide a response to this charge.”

It has been claimed that Bentancur will be free to play until the conclusion of the case.

Spurs are set to return to Premier League action this weekend when they host North London rivals Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

There has reportedly been an update on Martin Odegaard’s fitness ahead of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures.

On Monday night, Arsenal fans were left worried after Odegaard suffered an ankle injury during Norway’s win over Austria in the UEFA Nations League.

Manchester City star Erling Haaland scored a late winner to seal a 2-1 win for Staale Solbakken’s side.

With the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur coming up this weekend, Arsenal are now sweating over the fitness of their captain.

On Wednesday morning, an apparent update regarding the fitness of Odegaard was given by the Norway national team doctor.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano wrote on social media: “Norwegian NT doctor on Martin Ødegaard’s injury: “Injuries like this takes minimum 3 weeks. Everything else is bonus”.

““They are investigating the MR now. There is probably no breach in his foot”, he’s told @vgsporten.”

The player who injured Odegaard, RB Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner, wrote on social media: “Hi guys! I would like to sincerely apologise to Martin Odegaard. It was never my intention to injure this player, I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.

“Come back stronger @odegaard.98 [prayer hands emoji].”

Meanwhile, Solbakken said after the match: “It looked bad in the dressing room as well. I saw he was sitting with the physiotherapists around him but he had no chance to continue and we know it was an ankle sprain.

“Yes, it’s a sprain, and as those of us who had played football know, with luck it can turn out OK if the ligaments aren’t torn.”

He added: “I’m not really sure that (Mikel) Arteta will call me tonight to praise me.”

Team doctor Ola Sand added: “He got a small ankle sprain. We will see throughout the evening and tomorrow what happens next and what we will do about it. Ankle sprains are difficult to deal with straight away, so we almost have to see how things go forward.

“We will examine him when we are back at the hotel. Maybe we use ultrasound to look at it. If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow.”

Arsenal have been forced into an unprecedented kit decision for the North London derby this weekend, the club have confirmed.

The Gunners face Spurs away from home on Sunday and are looking for a third straight win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But unlike in previous times, Arsenal will not be lining up in their traditional colours.

That's because the PGMOL have ruled that Arsenal's kit contains too much white, clashing with Spurs' home strip.

There were discussions about wearing red shorts and socks as a solution but on their official website, the club have confirmed they will sport their new black away kit.

For the same reason, Spurs must wear their away strip when they travel to the Emirates Stadium in January.

A statement from Arsenal read: "This season’s north London derbies will have a similar feel to them with the usual excitement and passion, however they will have a different look than seasons gone by.

"That’s because both teams will be wearing their away strips in the fixtures this campaign, after the PGMOL and Premier League ruled that our 2024/25 home kit features too much white, thus clashing with Tottenham’s traditional colours, even with the option of red shorts and socks for us, which was also discussed.

"As a result, for the first time in recent ‘NLD’ history, we’ll be wearing our changed colours, with our black adidas away kit being donned at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where we’ll aim to clinch a third-straight victory at the venue."

The away strip, which is black with hints of green, red and white, was debuted in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa on 24 August.

Arsenal look set to be without a number of their regular starters amid a mixture of injuries and suspensions.

Adrien Rabiot has made an apparent u-turn regarding the potential destination of his next club as the free agent continues his search for a new club.

The 29-year-old midfielder is still without an employer after leaving Italian giants Juventus earlier this summer.

Having been capped 48 times for France, Rabiot would appear to be a shrewd pick-up on the market given his experience at the very top level.

A five-time Ligue 1 champion, the former Manchester City man has so far kept quite regarding his next venture.

After snubbing Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur back in 2019, Spurs themselves have now decided against signing him.

Arsenal are another club who Rabiot is said to have offered his services to this summer, according to information from TBR Football.

The former PSG man is also said to have had interest in him from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but it's understood his preference is to sign for a team in one of Europe's top leagues.

Having been involved for France at Euro 2024, Rabiot admitted earlier this summer he was unsure then where his immediate future was.

"The renewal with Juve? I don't know what will happen but I don't feel like talking about this," he told the media back in June.

"Say something to the fans? I think they've understood that I'm focused on the European Championship with my national team and that we'll see what happens after that.

"My focus is 100% here, then obviously I'm always in contact with the club.

"If I'm not under contract, I'm no longer a Juventus player".

Reports have suggested that Rabiot's wage demands are also a huge stumbling block for prospective clubs.

The midfielder is said to be asking for around £220,000-a-week, with Tottenham's highest-earner, Son Heung-min, only taking home a figure close to £190k-a-week.

Spurs also looked to the future by bringing in teenage star Archie Gray from Leeds United.

“Yeah. Yeah [I’ve felt backed]," said Ange Postecoglou earlier this year.

"Well, [targeting younger players] was definitely part of my plan because I think when you’re trying to build or rebuild a team, you’ve got to…look, all managers hope they’re there for the long-term, but the reality is that you don’t know how long you’ll be there, but I’ve always tried to build teams that will last over a cycle which is, you know, three, four, five years."

New details about Arsenal star Martin Odegaard's injury have been revealed, and it doesn't look good.

Odegaard led Norway to victory in the Nations League on Monday as his side beat Austria 2-1, with Manchester City star Erling Haaland scoring the winning goal.

But during the match, the midfielder suffered an injury which could prove to be devastating for Arsenal's title challenge season as they face North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Man City in their next two Premier League fixtures.

And now more details about the extend of the injury have emerged, and Arsenal fans will not be happy.

According to Norwegian outlet NG, Odegaard was pictured using crutches and avoiding putting pressure on his left foot as he boarded a private jet at Oslo airport.

The midfielder was unable to get onto the plane unassisted, and required help from airport staff to get over to the plane.

Norway's national team doctor Ola Sand also confirmed to NG that Odegaard will undergo an MRI scan when returning to London, where it will be determined how serious the injury will be.

It remains to be seen if the injury blow will rule him out of Sunday's league meeting with Tottenham.

However, it appears to be unlikely that he will available for the crucial tie, as Norway manager Stale Solbakken expressed his concerns after the match.

"It looked bad in the dressing room too," said Solbakken. "He didn't have the nerve to continue. It is not certain that [Mikel] Arteta will call me tonight and praise me."

The injury comes just weeks after Arsenal's new midfield signing Mikel Merino suffered a freak injury in training just three days after joining the club.

The Spaniard came to the North London side this summer, joining from La Liga club Real Sociedad for a reported fee of £31.6m including add-ons.

However, during his first training session with his Arsenal teammates, Brazilian defender Gabriel landed on top of Merino, causing a small fracture to his shoulder.

Confirming the injury in a press conference, Arteta said: "Very unfortunate...he had a collision and he has a shoulder injury. It looks like he’s going to be out for a few weeks."

Arsenal have been handed a worrying update on star player Martin Odegaard following his injury during Norway's Nations League clash.

Norway beat Austria 2-1 in their Nations League fixture on Monday as Manchester City's Erling Haaland scored his side's winner.

But their victory came at a price as Odegaard suffered an injury blow that will have a huge impact on Arsenal, who resume their Premier League campaign with a massive showdown against cross-town rivals Tottenham.

Arsenal's medical team immediately contacted Norway's staff to find out the extent of the injury.

It remains to be seen whether his ankle blow will rule him out of Sunday's league meeting.

But Norway boss Stale Solbakken has revealed the scenes from inside the dressing room and it doesn't paint a good picture.

He claims the injury 'looked bad' as he referenced Mikel Arteta when asked about Odegaard.

"It looked bad in the dressing room too," he said. "He didn't have the nerve to continue. It is not certain that [Mikel] Arteta will call me tonight and praise me."

Norway doctor Ola Sand confirmed Odegaard suffered a 'small sprain' in his ankle, saying: "He got a small ankle sprain. We will see, maybe we use ultrasound to look at it.

"If we are unsure, there will be an MRI tomorrow."

The 25-year-old midfielder has started each of Arsenal's opening three league games this season.

They have recorded seven points from three games ahead of facing Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It's been a rough international break for Arteta, who was also dealt a injury blow when Riccardo Calafiori limped off against France.

So, he could be without Calafiori and Odegaard for Arsenal's trip to Spurs.

What's more, the Gunners face Manchester City on September 22 and take on Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in the coming weeks.

A five-man transfer list made by Jose Mourinho has revealed the superteam he was trying to build at Manchester United.

The legendary Portuguese manager spent two years in charge of United, leading them to trophies in the Europa League and EFL Cup.

Mourinho was sacked by United on 18 December 2018, having won just seven out of the first 17 Premier League matches of the 2018/19 season.

But a leaked list shows the five transfers that Mourinho wanted to make during his final season with the Red Devils, and if they all had happened, it could have changed everything.

The biggest name on the transfer shortlist that Mourinho had hoped to pursue is undoubtedly Gareth Bale, who at the time was playing for La Liga giants Real Madrid.

At the time, Bale had been linked with a move back to the UK after falling out of favour with Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, who rarely started the Welshman.

However, after the sudden departures of both Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale had a change of heart and went on to stay with Los Blancos until 2022.

Next on Mourinho's list was another former Tottenham Hotspur player, Toby Alderweireld, who reportedly had held talks with United about the move.

However, ultimately the deal fell through as Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy refused to entertain any offers below £75million, which was not achievable for United.

Also in defence, the Portuguese manager wanted to bring in a new left-back after losing faith in Luke Shaw, leading to Ashley Young playing the position.

Juventus' Alex Sandro was the preferred option, but with the Italian club looking for £60m, United moved their focus to Kieran Tierney before deciding that he was not enough of an improvement on Shaw to justify a bid.

Mourinho had also hoped for a reunion with Brazilian winger Willian, whom he managed during his time at Chelsea, but the deal fell apart despite a bid from United reportedly being accepted.

The final name on Mourinho's shortlist, was Brazilian midfielder Fred, who was the top target of the 2018/19 summer transfer window.

Of course, Fred did join that summer for a fee of £52m and went on to make 213 appearances for United.

Ange Postecolglou has brutally axed two players from his Tottenham Hotspur squad for the league phase of the UEFA Europa League.

Spurs had to submit their squad to UEFA by the end of Wednesday and had to cut two stars in order to comply with various regulations.

Postecologlou had to leave out Spanish left-back Sergio Reguilon and English full-back Djed Spence due to restrictions.

A new squad list can be submitted with a handful of permitted changes if Spurs advance past the league phase where they will face Qarabag, Ferencvaros, AZ Alkmaar, Galatasaray, Roma, Rangers, Hoffenheim and Elfsborg.

UEFA squads differ to Premier League squads as they include main squad and a B-list. The latter can only include players under the age of 21 who have spent at least two years of the club, meaning summer signings Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall had to be registered on the main list.

When it comes to the 25-man main squad, UEFA rules also state that "as a minimum, eight of those 25 places are reserved exclusively for 'locally trained players' and no club may have more than four 'association-trained players' listed among those eight places.

"If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players in their squad, then the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly."

There are two types of locally-trained player. One is 'club-trained players', who were on the club's books for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.

The other is 'association-trained players', who were on another club's books in the same association for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.

Spurs have only two of the four required club-trained players in Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman, so were forced to reduce their squad to 23 players.

They also had seven association-trained players, of which only four can go in their own category.

The other three had to be placed into the main group but there was only one spot left in that group.

Spence has made two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season while Reguilon has not featured in a matchday squad after spending last season on loan at Manchester United and Brentford.

Tottenham's squad is as follows:

Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario, Fraser Forster, Brandon Austin, Alfie Whiteman

Defenders: Radu Drăgușin, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Ben Davies, Micky van de Ven

Midfielders: Yves Bissouma, James Maddison, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur

Tottenham Hotspur were reportedly one of three clubs that opposed a major UEFA rule change that will affect several Premier League sides this season.

UEFA have made plenty of changes to the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League this season, most notably switching out the group stages for 36-team league phases.

The changes mean sides in the Champions League and Europa League will each play eight different opponents, while Conference League teams will face six before the knockout stages.

Another significant change won't impact the players on the pitch, rather the supporters in the stands.

Ahead of the European competitions beginning next month, UEFA have lowered the maximum amount that away supporters can be charged for match tickets.

This week UEFA announced that away tickets prices in the Champions League this season will be capped at €60 (£50), while away fans in the Europa League and Conference League cannot be charged more than €40 and €20 respectively.

Next season those prices will drop further, with a €50 cap introduced in the Champions League and a €35 cap in the Europa League.

While it's good news for supporters, not all clubs will be happy with the change.

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham objected the lowering the amount they can charge visiting fans in the Europa League this season. There are reportedly two other clubs that were against the proposals.

The report claims that Spurs raised objections to the price caps, although it is unclear whether they formally voted against or in favour of the changes.

Tottenham declined to comment on the matter when contacted by SPORTbible.

Tottenham’s director of football administration and governance, Rebecca Caplehorn, is a member of the European Club Competitions Committee, which endorsed the reduction in maximum ticket prices.

Tottenham fans have already voiced their anger at the club's decision to scrap senior season tickets from the start of next season.

Tottenham will host Qarabag, Alkmaar, Roma and Elfsborg in the Europa League this season while travelling abroad to face Ferencvaros, Galatasaray, Rangers and Hoffenheim.