- Egypt Weekly Roundup
- Posts
- World's largest illegal sport streaming platform, made in Egypt đźš«
World's largest illegal sport streaming platform, made in Egypt đźš«
What else: Egypt not concerned by Netanyahu's threat to end gas deal, $7.5 billion Qatari investment activated, car sales surge in 2025, and much more inside.
August 31 – September 06 | 2025
(Image: UNICEF / Facebook)
This week is extra special for us at Egypt Weekly Roundup: tomorrow marks our very first birthday! 🎉
One year ago, this newsletter came to life, and oh how quickly time has flown. In just twelve months, we’ve grown through design changes, platform shifts, and even welcomed our very first partner. None of this would’ve been possible without you, our dear readers, who make each edition worth creating. We hope our weekly roundups have been insightful and valuable, and we’re excited for what’s to come in the years ahead.
Our birthday isn’t the only show: A total lunar eclipse will be visible in Egypt today, 7 September. The event will last around five and a half hours, with the moon fully hidden by Earth’s shadow from 6:44 pm to 7:37 pm, peaking at 7:11 pm.
Now, let’s dive into this week’s top stories.
ISRAEL | GEOPOLITICS | ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY
EGYPT SHRUGS OFF NETANYAHU’S THREATS TO CANCEL HISTORIC $35 BILLION GAS DEAL
Egypt says it won’t be shaken by Israeli threats to cancel a historic USD 35 billion gas deal between the two countreis, according to statements from Egypt’s State Information Service Head Diaa Rashwan.
During an interview, Rashwan dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations toward Egypt as empty political pressure, stressing that Egypt has alternative energy and economic options. “If you have the courage, cancel the deal. The losses will fall on you, not Egypt,” Rashwan said.
Political posturing: Rashwan accused Netanyahu of trying to undermine Egypt’s image, while pointing out that Israel relies more on the deal than Cairo does. He also rejected Israeli claims of weapons and hostage smuggling through tunnels as excuses to justify control of the border’s Philadelphia corridor.
Regional stakes: Rashwan said Netanyahu views Egypt as the main obstacle to his “Greater Israel” ambitions, but emphasized that Cairo has made its red lines clear — particularly its rejection of Palestinian displacement. He added that while Egypt does not seek conflict, its army remains fully prepared to defend national security.
🌍️ MORE FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
🇺🇳 G20: The official meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) convened in Cairo this week, marking the first time it has been held outside the member states since the group’s founding in 1999 – Know more
🇬🇧 UK: The British Embassy in Cairo announced that it has temporarily closed its main building after Egyptian authorities removed security barriers surrounding its premises in the Garden City district – Know more
🇵🇸 PALESTINE: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s firm rejection of any plans to forcibly displace Palestinians or military operations in Gaza amid escalating Israeli military operations in the enclave – Know more
🇧🇠BAHRAIN: The Gulf kingdom’s crown prince wrapped up his visit to Cairo last week by signing eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Egypt, covering multiple sectors to boost bilateral cooperation – Know more
🇹🇿 TANZANIA: Egypt’s Defense Minister Abdel-Mageed Saqr and Tanzania’s Defense Minister Stergomena Lawrence Tax signed a cooperation deal in Cairo to boost collaboration and share expertise – Know more
🇬🇠GHANA: Egypt’s Defense Minister also met with Ghana’s Acting Defense Minister Cassiel Ato Forson to discuss boosting military cooperation – Know more
QATAR | FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
QATAR’S $7.5 BILLION INVESTMENT PACKAGE IN EGYPT ACTIVATED
Image: Egyptian Cabinet / Facebook
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly confirmed the activation of Qatar’s USD 7.5 billion direct investment package, marking a major step in deepening economic ties between Cairo and Doha.
A growing economic partnership: During his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Madbouly emphasized the importance of closer coordination with the Qatari business community. Talks focused on boosting bilateral relations, particularly in investment, trade, and joint projects across priority sectors.
Long-term vision: Madbouly highlighted the government’s broader economic roadmap through 2030, stressing that Egypt’s strategy extends beyond IMF agreements. He pointed to the incentives and facilitations offered to investors, underscoring Egypt’s aim to attract more capital from Qatar and other neighboring states into sectors from infrastructure to industry.
🏦 MORE ECONOMY:
💸 FOREIGN INVESTMENT: Egypt ranked 9th worldwide and 1st in Africa for investment inflows, attracting USD 46.1 billion in 2023/2024, according to the country’s investment authority – Know more
📉 EXTERNAL DEBT: Egypt’s external debt dropped by nearly USD 4 billion over the past two years, including USD 1 billion last year, cutting the debt-to-GDP ratio by 10 percent – Know more
🏦 FINANCIAL INCLUSION: Financial inclusion in Egypt hit 76.3 percent as of June 2025, and 53.8 million citizens are now using active transaction accounts – Know more
CYBERCRIME | ILLEGAL STREAMING | SPORTS
WORLD’S LARGEST ILLEGAL SPORTS STREAMING NETWORK, NOW TAKEN DOWN, REVEALED TO BE IN EGYPT
Egyptian authorities, working with the US-based Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), conducted a crackdown operation to shut down Streameast, the world’s largest illegal live sports streaming platform. Two men were arrested in Giza after managing more than 700 unlicensed sites linked to Streameast and servers tied to piracy and money laundering.
Massive operation: Investigators seized laptops, phones, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency, uncovering links to a UAE shell company used to launder over USD 6 million in ad revenues since 2010. Authorities also traced real estate assets in Egypt believed to have been purchased with illicit proceeds. Streameast, which redirected traffic from 80 domains, illegally streamed matches from Europe’s top football leagues alongside NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL games.
Industry reaction: ACE called the takedown a “resounding victory” against digital piracy, while DAZN praised Egyptian authorities for curbing an operation that siphoned value from sports at every level. We doubt crafty internet users are as happy, though. All Streameast domains now redirect users to ACE’s “Watch Legally” page.
🏠️ MORE SOCIETY:
⚽️ FOOTBALL: Speaking of sports, Egypt’s men’s national football team moved one step closer to World Cup qualification with a 2–0 victory over Ethiopia – Know more
🗺️ PYRAMIDS EXPERIENCE: For the first time, Egypt has installed a modern air purification system inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu — the last surviving wonder of the ancient world — to protect its delicate inner chambers while improving the experience for visitors – Know more
CARS | AUTOMOTIVE SALES | CONSUMER TRENDS
CAR SALES IN EGYPT SURGE 83% IN 2025
Image: Khaled Hegazy / Pexels
Car sales in Egypt jumped 83 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2025, reaching 90,100 vehicles compared to 49,230 last year, according to the Automotive Market Information Council (AMIC). Passenger cars led with 69,790 units sold, followed by 14,750 trucks and 5,560 buses.
Market leaders: Chevrolet retained the top spot with 17.9 percent of sales, followed by Nissan at 14.6 percent and Chery at 11 percent. Chinese brands dominated overall passenger car sales with nearly 25,500 units, while European brands saw a sharp rise of 203 percent to 10,150 vehicles. American cars, though smaller in share, recorded explosive growth of 817 percent year-on-year.
Economic backdrop: The surge comes amid easing inflation, lower interest rates, and falling car prices. On 29 August, the Central Bank cut benchmark rates by two percentage points — the largest drop in over a year — supporting demand. Meanwhile, increased local assembly and tougher competition among dealers are making cars more affordable for Egyptian buyers.