Ghana’s Yaw Yeboah handed lifetime MLS ban over gambling scandal

Ghanaian footballer Yaw Yeboah has been handed a lifetime ban by Major League Soccer (MLS) after an investigation found he was involved in extensive betting on soccer matches, including games involving his own team.

The sanction was announced by the league on March 9, 2026, following a probe into suspicious betting activity during the 2024 and 2025 MLS seasons.

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The investigation also implicated his former teammate Derrick Jones, with both players receiving lifetime suspensions from the league for breaching MLS gambling rules.

According to MLS, the pair placed multiple wagers on soccer matches while they were active players in the league.

In one notable instance, the two bet that Jones would receive a yellow card in an October 19, 2024 match, a booking that ultimately occurred during the game.

The investigation, triggered by suspicious betting alerts from the league’s integrity monitoring partners. Both players had earlier been placed on administrative leave in October 2025 while the investigation was ongoing.

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MLS said its findings showed the players engaged in “extensive gambling on soccer,” including wagers involving their own teams, which constitutes a serious violation of the league’s integrity rules.

Investigators also believe the players may have shared confidential information with other bettors about their plans to draw yellow cards during matches, though there was no conclusive evidence that match results themselves were manipulated.

The case has drawn significant attention across the football world, with MLS Commissioner Don Garber reiterating the league’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the sport and enforcing strict anti-gambling policies.

Yaw Yeboah, born in Accra, Ghana, began his professional career after emerging from the Right to Dream Academy and was once on the books of Manchester City before gaining experience through several loan spells in Europe.

The winger later played in Poland with Wisła Kraków before moving to the United States, where he joined Columbus Crew in 2022.

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He was part of the team that won the 2023 MLS Cup, even scoring the decisive goal in the final.After leaving Columbus Crew, he joined Los Angeles FC in 2025, making 17 appearances before mutually terminating his contract earlier this year. 

The lifetime suspension means the Ghanaian international is permanently barred from participating in Major League Soccer competitions, marking one of the most severe disciplinary actions in the league’s history.