Spanish Game Dev's Server Blocked by LaLiga IP Bans During Matches 2026

A Spanish game developer has discovered that his video game works perfectly in Spain—except when there's football. Borja de la Osa, the developer behind the upcoming mobile game 'Kuiper', found that his server becomes inaccessible during LaLiga match broadcasts due to massive IP blocking.

This issue highlights a growing conflict between copyright enforcement and internet accessibility, affecting not just pirates but legitimate businesses and developers.

Who is Borja de la Osa and what is 'Kuiper'?

Borja de la Osa is an independent Spanish game developer preparing to launch 'Kuiper', his first mobile game, on October 1. The game's backend runs on a Cloudflare worker, which uses the IP range 188.114.96.0/22.

Since August, de la Osa noticed that his server would periodically become unreachable from large parts of Spain. The cause: LaLiga's aggressive IP blocking during football matches.

How LaLiga's IP blocks are affecting the game

According to data from hayahora.futbol collected by de la Osa, the IP range was blocked on 12 different days between August 15 and September 6. These blocks occurred across major Spanish ISPs including Movistar, Orange, MasMóvil, Vodafone, and DIGI.

The blocks coincided with sports broadcast times, and in one instance, the block lasted for eight hours. This means that during crucial match times, players couldn't access 'Kuiper' at all.

The scale of the problem

The IP range 188.114.96.0/22 is used by many Cloudflare customers, not just de la Osa. This means that countless websites and services are affected by these blocks, not just the intended targets of piracy.

LaLiga's method involves blocking entire IP ranges to prevent illegal streaming of football matches. However, this blunt approach catches legitimate services in the crossfire.

The developer's absurd but effective solution

De la Osa documented these blocks for weeks and found a workaround: when the server stops responding in Spain, 'Kuiper' traffic is automatically rerouted to Germany.

This solution works, but it's absurd because it means that Spanish users are served from another country just to avoid the blocks. It also raises questions about the long-term viability of such workarounds.

Why this matters for gamers and developers

This incident is not isolated. Many businesses have reported losses due to LaLiga's IP blocks. One company reported dropping from €70,000 to €40,000 in monthly revenue. The longer history behind the story is traced in Spanish Game Dev's Server Blocked by LaLiga IP Bans During Matches.

For gamers, this means potential disruptions during popular match times. For developers, it adds a layer of complexity and cost to ensuring reliable service in Spain. The background to this story is set out in Entitled Rude Customer Gets Kicked Out Of Pizzeria After Blocking Server From Serving Other Tables. A related thread runs through US-Iran Conflict Escalates: Missile Barrage Blocked, Ceasefire. Earlier coverage in Steam Driving Sim Demo Costs Devs $1,000 Daily in AI Tokens shows how the argument developed.

• LaLiga's IP blocks affect legitimate services, not just pirates.
• Developers must implement costly workarounds like geo-rerouting.
• Players may experience downtime during football matches.
• Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to revenue loss.
• The blocks raise concerns about internet freedom and overreach.

What to watch next

As LaLiga continues its crackdown, more developers may speak out. Regulatory bodies might need to step in to balance copyright enforcement with digital rights. A closer look at the same subject appears in Technology: latest articles. Anyone following the wider picture can start with Netflix and Streaming Ads: How We Accepted Commercials. The same theme surfaces in Bill Gates Email Hoax: How a Student Prank Promised $1,000, which takes a different angle.

For now, de la Osa's story serves as a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of aggressive IP blocking. Context on how this played out before sits in iPhone Duo Foldable Software: Apple's Real Advantage. A companion piece, Madrid F1 GP, US Open Final and LaLiga on Movistar Plus, approaches the same subject from another angle.

Comparison of IP blocking impact

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