Major League Soccer has issued a lifetime ban to former Ghana international Yaw Yeboah after concluding that he violated the league’s strict gambling regulations.
The sanction was announced on Monday, with the league confirming that Yeboah and American midfielder Derrick Jones will no longer be permitted to participate in any MLS-related competitions following an investigation into betting activities connected to league matches.
Although neither player is currently tied to an MLS club, the disciplinary action stems from incidents that occurred during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The probe was triggered after integrity monitoring partners flagged suspicious betting patterns related to matches involving the league.
To ensure a comprehensive review, Major League Soccer appointed the law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP to independently investigate the matter. During the inquiry, both players were placed on administrative leave while investigators examined the allegations.
The investigation later revealed that the duo had placed numerous wagers on football matches, including fixtures involving their own teams, a clear violation of MLS gambling rules.
One particular incident highlighted by the league occurred on October 19, 2024. According to the findings, the two players placed a bet predicting that Jones would receive a yellow card during a match played that day, an outcome that ultimately happened.
Yaw Yeboah secures move to Qingdao Hainiu following departure from LAFC
Investigators also determined that the players likely shared inside information with other bettors regarding their intention to be booked during matches.
Despite the severity of the violations, MLS said there was no evidence suggesting that the wagers directly affected the final results of any games.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber reaffirmed the league’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the competition, stressing that strict enforcement of its gambling policies remains a priority.
Yeboah, who previously earned caps with the Ghana national football team, built much of his early career in Europe, featuring for clubs such as Manchester City, Real Oviedo, CD Numancia and Wisła Kraków before later moving to MLS.
The lifetime suspension effectively closes the door on any future involvement for the winger within MLS competitions and represents one of the league’s harshest punishments for betting-related misconduct.
Interestingly, the 27-year-old recently secured a new chapter in his career after joining Chinese Super League side Qingdao Hainiu on a free transfer last month.
