Ghana international Yaw Yeboah has been handed a lifetime ban by Major League Soccer (MLS) after an investigation found he was involved in extensive betting on football matches, including games involving his own team.
The league announced the sanction on March 9, 2026, following a probe into suspicious gambling activity during the 2024 and 2025 MLS seasons.
The investigation also implicated his former teammate Derrick Jones, with both players receiving lifetime suspensions for violating MLS gambling regulations.
According to MLS officials, the two players placed multiple wagers on football matches while they were active players in the league.
In one notable case, the pair reportedly bet that Jones would receive a yellow card during a match on October 19, 2024. The booking eventually occurred during the game, raising serious integrity concerns.
The investigation began after suspicious betting alerts were flagged by the league’s integrity monitoring partners. Both players had earlier been placed on administrative leave in October 2025 while the probe was underway.
MLS said its findings revealed the players had engaged in “extensive gambling on soccer,” including bets involving their own teams — a serious violation of league rules designed to protect the integrity of the sport.
Investigators also believe the players may have shared confidential information with other bettors regarding their plans to draw yellow cards during matches. However, there was no conclusive evidence that the results of matches were deliberately manipulated.
The case has drawn widespread attention in the football world, prompting Don Garber, Commissioner of Major League Soccer, to reiterate the league’s strict stance against gambling by players.
Yaw Yeboah, who was born in Accra, began his football journey at the renowned Right to Dream Academy in Ghana before moving abroad to pursue a professional career.
He was once signed by Manchester City and later gained playing experience through several loan spells in Europe.
The winger also played for Wisła Kraków in Poland before moving to the United States.
In 2022, he joined Columbus Crew, where he played a key role in the club’s success, including their triumph in the MLS Cup 2023.
After leaving Columbus Crew, Yeboah signed for Los Angeles FC in 2025, making 17 appearances before mutually terminating his contract earlier this year.
The lifetime suspension now permanently bars the Ghanaian international from participating in Major League Soccer competitions, marking one of the harshest disciplinary measures in the league’s history.
