Stade Francais Faces Ransomware Attack from Qilin Group

• •Stade Francais is under ransomware attack from the Qilin group, with player data exposed.
• •The attackers published documents of 18 players and set a ten-day ransom deadline.
• •The incident emphasizes the increasing targeting of sports organizations by ransomware groups.

Stade Francais, a prominent rugby club in Paris, confirmed a ransomware attack by the Qilin group, which has published identity documents of 18 players as proof of the breach. The attack was detected on August 5, 2026, and the group has set a ten-day deadline for ransom payment. Stade Francais stated that immediate containment and recovery measures are in place, and online ticketing and merchandise sales remain unaffected. The Qilin group is known for its double extortion tactics, encrypting systems and threatening to release stolen data if the ransom is not paid. This incident adds to a growing list of ransomware attacks targeting sports organizations and highlights the vulnerability of player identity documents. The club faces potential legal repercussions under EU data protection laws due to the exposure of sensitive information. The breach follows a history of security issues at Stade Francais, including a previous incident in 2023 involving the unintentional leak of server source code.