World’s Largest Illegal Sports Streaming Site Shut Down

Cairo, Egypt — The world’s largest illegal sports streaming platform, Streameast, was shut down on Wednesday, according to the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a major U.S.-based anti-piracy coalition. This global operation, which tallied 1.6 billion visits in the past year through 80 associated domains, was dismantled in collaboration with Egyptian law enforcement.

Charles Rivkin, Chairman of ACE and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), hailed the operation as a key victory against digital piracy. “This landmark action has put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide,” he stated.

Streameast provided unauthorized access to high-profile sporting events, including European soccer leagues like the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, and UEFA Champions League. With the rise in subscription services, many fans struggled to afford multiple platforms. The platform had drawn users from the U.S., Canada, the UK, the Philippines, and Germany.

“Dismantling Streameast is a major victory for everyone investing in the live sports ecosystem,” remarked Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group, a member of the ACE coalition. He noted that the operation had siphoned value from the sports industry and endangered fans.

Aside from soccer, Streameast offered illegal access to various American sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB, plus pay-per-view boxing, MMA, and Formula One racing. Reports also indicated that NBA star LeBron James had used the service at a game.

Larissa Knapp, Executive VP and Chief Content Protection Officer for the MPA, applauded the partnership with Egyptian authorities, citing it as proof that no piracy network is beyond coordinated global enforcement.

Following the shutdown, visitors to Streameast’s domains are redirected to the ACE’s anti-piracy page. However, ACE noted that numerous copycat sites are emerging to exploit gaps in the market. Fans expressed disappointment on social media, with one user stating, “They shut down Streameast to protect profits, not people.”

The ACE and law enforcement agencies continue to target piracy networks, reinforcing that the fight against such operations is ongoing.