Stade Français Paris Hit by Qilin Ransomware Attack, Data Leak Threatened
French rugby club Stade Français Paris confirmed a cyberattack disrupted its information systems, though the club restored operations using clean backups. While its ticketing platform and online store remained unaffected, a sample of allegedly stolen data was published online. The club is investigating the breach’s scope and has notified authorities, filing a criminal complaint though it has not disclosed whether a ransom demand was made or negotiations are underway.
The ransomware group Qilin claimed responsibility, posting documents belonging to 18 players on its darknet leak site and threatening further releases unless a ransom is paid by the end of next week. The authenticity of the leaked files has not been independently verified.
Qilin, a prominent ransomware-as-a-service operation linked to Russian-speaking cybercriminals, employs double extortion tactics encrypting systems while stealing data to pressure victims into payment. The group has been active in targeting high-profile organizations, including sports teams.
Stade Français joins a growing list of sports organizations victimized by cyberattacks. Recent incidents include Dutch soccer club Ajax (2024), Italian club Bologna FC (2024), Paris Saint-Germain (2024), Manchester United (2020), the Royal Dutch Football Association (2023), and the French Football Federation (2025). These attacks highlight the rising threat of financially motivated hackers against the sports sector.
Source: https://therecord.media/french-rugby-club-restores-systems-after-cyberattack
Stade Français Paris cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/sfparis
FFF - Fédération Française de Football cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/federation-francaise-de-football
Royal Enfield cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/royal-enfield
"id": "SFPFEDROY1786105635",
"linkid": "sfparis, federation-francaise-de-football, royal-enfield",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "8/2026",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Sports/Rugby',
'location': 'France',
'name': 'Stade Français Paris',
'type': 'Sports club'}],
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Yes (threatened further releases)',
'number_of_records_exposed': "18 players' documents",
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Player documents'},
'description': 'French rugby club Stade Français Paris confirmed a '
'cyberattack disrupted its information systems, though the '
'club restored operations using clean backups. The ransomware '
'group Qilin claimed responsibility, posting documents '
'belonging to 18 players on its darknet leak site and '
'threatening further releases unless a ransom is paid by the '
'end of next week.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'Documents belonging to 18 players',
'operational_impact': 'Disrupted operations (restored using clean '
'backups)',
'systems_affected': 'Information systems'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'motivation': 'Financial gain',
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (double extortion tactics)',
'data_exfiltration': 'Yes',
'ransomware_strain': 'Qilin'},
'references': [{'source': 'Cyber incident report'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Criminal complaint filed'},
'response': {'containment_measures': 'Restored operations using clean backups',
'law_enforcement_notified': 'Yes (criminal complaint filed)'},
'threat_actor': 'Qilin',
'title': 'Stade Français Paris Hit by Qilin Ransomware Attack',
'type': 'Ransomware'}