Egyptian authorities, working closely with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), have dismantled Streameast, the world’s largest illegal sports streaming platform, in what is being hailed as a landmark victory against digital piracy.
Streameast, active since 2018, offered free access to live sporting events from the NFL, NBA, European football, and several other leagues. According to ACE, the piracy network controlled more than 80 domains and recorded over 1.6 billion visits in the past year alone, siphoning millions in revenue from legitimate sports broadcasters and leagues.
On August 24, Egyptian police raided a residence in El-Sheikh Zaid, about 20 miles outside Cairo, arresting two men allegedly behind the Streameast operation. During the raid, law enforcement seized laptops, smartphones, cryptocurrency, and cash, along with documents linking the suspects to properties across Egypt.
Investigators also uncovered ties to a UAE-based shell company that reportedly enabled the laundering of more than $6 million in advertising revenue generated by the illegal platforms.
Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), called the takedown a decisive victory. “With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide — and our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe,” he said.
ACE, which represents major media corporations including Netflix, Amazon, Paramount, Apple, and Warner Bros., coordinated directly with Egyptian officials on the operation.
The Athletic reported that evidence seized during the raid demonstrated the global scale of the piracy scheme, with much of the site’s traffic originating from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, and the Philippines.
Ed McCarthy, Chief Operating Officer of DAZN Group — a sports streaming company known for boxing and MMA coverage — praised the development. “This criminal operation was siphoning value from sports at every level and putting fans across the world at risk,” McCarthy said.
“We commend the Egyptian authorities and ACE for their action in bringing down the world’s largest illegal sports streaming operation.”
Streameast had become one of the most widely accessed piracy sites for fans looking to avoid costly subscription services. Even prominent athletes had been spotted using the platform over the years, underscoring the reach of the illicit service.
The takedown is part of a broader global crackdown on illegal streaming networks. In July, a U.S. federal jury sentenced five men from Nevada for running Jetflicks, once one of the largest illegal TV streaming services. The FBI also dismantled multiple piracy websites distributing games for platforms such as Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
Other streaming operations, including 247TVStream and HeHeStreams, have also faced legal action in recent years.
Still, challenges persist. Within hours of Streameast domains going offline, users reported the emergence of “mirror” sites replicating the service. Cybersecurity experts warn that piracy networks are increasingly resilient and difficult to completely eradicate.
Silent Push, a cybersecurity firm, recently reported on an active IPTV-based piracy network operating out of Afghanistan, highlighting the ongoing global scope of digital piracy.
Despite these challenges, ACE and global law enforcement agencies insist the Streameast takedown demonstrates their growing ability to dismantle even the largest and most sophisticated piracy networks.