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The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s leading anti-piracy coalition, of which beIN MEDIA GROUP is a key member, has announced the shutdown of Streameast, one of the largest piracy networks globally. The operation was successfully executed in collaboration with Egyptian authorities.
“ACE scored a resounding victory in its fight to detect, deter, and dismantle criminal perpetrators of digital piracy: by taking down the largest illegal live sports platform anywhere,” said Charles Rivkin, chairman of ACE and chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “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.”
Streameast, operating through 80 associated domains, recorded over 1.6 billion visits in the past year, making it the largest illicit live sports streaming operation worldwide. The platform offered unauthorised access to top European soccer leagues, including England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, Germany’s Bundesliga, France’s Ligue 1, and Portugal’s Primeira Liga. It also streamed UEFA club competitions, such as the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League, as well as international qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro, UEFA Nations League, and CONMEBOL Copa America. In addition, the United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS) and domestic cup competitions were also available illegally.
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“We congratulate ACE on this landmark enforcement action. Piracy is not a victimless crime – it undermines the entire sports economy, from rights holders and leagues to athletes and fans. The success of this operation proves that with strong international cooperation and robust enforcement, no illegal network is beyond reach. beIN MEDIA GROUP is proud to stand with ACE in continuing to pursue and dismantle criminal piracy operations wherever they exist,” said Cameron Andrews, legal director, Anti-Piracy, beIN MEDIA GROUP.
Beyond soccer, Streameast provided access to piracy sites covering American sports, including the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Baseball (MLB). The network also hosted unauthorised streams for pay-per-view boxing, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and motorsports such as Formula One and MotoGP.
As a committed member of ACE, beIN MEDIA GROUP reiterates its dedication to protecting the value of live sport and safeguarding the future of the global sports and entertainment industry, in partnership with rights holders, leagues, and governments worldwide.
