The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), in partnership with Egyptian authorities, announced the takedown of Streameast, a major illegal sports streaming network that reportedly facilitated over 1.6 billion visits across 80 domains in the past year.
Labelled by ACE as “the largest illegal sports platform anywhere,” Streameast had become a go-to destination for unauthorized access to live sports, particularly in the U.S., UK, Canada, the Philippines, and Germany. The operation marks a significant win in the ongoing global battle against digital piracy. ACE chairman Charles Rivkin stated, “Our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe.”
The timing of the shutdown aligns with a seasonal spike in piracy, as viewers seek free access to premium events like the NFL and top-tier European football. Streameast had become widely known among fans online, often cited as an alternative to paid platforms in forums and on social media.
In August 2024, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, began seizing Streameast-related domains. Despite claims from the operators that they could rely on over 400 alternative URLs, the crackdown intensified. On August 24, Egyptian authorities arrested two individuals near Cairo for copyright violations, with more than $6 million in connected funds uncovered, according to The Athletic.
ACE said the seized domains now redirect to its “Watch Legally” portal, designed to guide users to legitimate content. Streameast previously vowed to continue operations until sports became “affordable for everyone,” posting such messages on Discord following past enforcement actions.
The takedown follows previous ACE-led operations against piracy hubs like Vietnam-based networks and the Egypt-based soccer streamer Livehd7. While consumers rarely face legal consequences, ACE and its members—including companies like Netflix and Amazon—continue lobbying for stronger anti-piracy legislation.
Live sports remain particularly vulnerable to piracy due to their high real-time value, with rights holders calling for faster enforcement tools. Despite increased access through official streaming platforms, piracy still affects tens of millions annually.
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