World’s Biggest Illegal Sports Streaming Site Shut Down in Major Raid

Cairo, Egypt — The largest illegal sports streaming site in the world, Streameast, has been shut down following a significant operation by Egyptian law enforcement in collaboration with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE). The raid on August 24 resulted from a year-long investigation into the unlawful operation that attracted over 1.6 billion visits.

Streameast provided free access to popular global sports events, including leagues like the Premier League and Champions League, as well as the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Reports indicated that the site drew an average of 136 million monthly visitors from countries such as the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Germany.

Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, hailed the operation as a significant victory. “With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide,” Rivkin said. “Our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe.”

During the raid, authorities arrested two men suspected of copyright infringement in Sheikh Zayed City, which is located approximately 20 miles from Cairo. Law enforcement officials seized various devices, including laptops and smartphones, that were believed to have operated the illegal streaming services.

Investigators also uncovered a shell company in the United Arab Emirates allegedly linked to laundering advertising revenue that totals around $6.2 million since 2010. Additionally, authorities found multiple properties in Egypt thought to have been purchased with illicit earnings.

Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group and a member of ACE, stated, “Dismantling Streameast is a major victory for everyone who invests in and relies on the live sports ecosystem.” He emphasized that the illegal streaming site was taking value away from legitimate sports channels and posing risks to fans worldwide.

Despite the shutdown, some backup domains claiming to be replacement services for Streameast have emerged. ACE officials say they are aware of these ‘copycat’ sites and are investigating their connections to the original illegal operation.

Recent data from Brand Finance revealed that 43% of fans in a survey of 14,000 respondents from 13 countries indicated they considered using unofficial live streaming websites instead of paying to watch sports legally.

Following the crackdown on Streameast, ACE intends to redirect previous users to authorized streaming services. This action aims to limit the impact of piracy on the entertainment industry, especially as the NFL season kicks off shortly.