Shocking lifetime ban: MLS expels two Ghanaian players in betting scandal

has issued lifetime bans to Yaw Yeboah and Derrick Jones after an investigation found the two players had placed bets on football matches, including a game involving their own teams.

The sanctions were confirmed in a statement released on Monday, with the league saying the players had breached its strict sports betting rules during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The decision represents one of the most severe disciplinary actions taken by the league as it seeks to protect the integrity of the competition.

According to the investigation, both players placed several wagers on football matches.

Among them was a bet linked to an encounter between the Columbus Crew and the New York Red Bulls on 19 October 2024.

The bet predicted that Jones would receive a yellow card during the match.

The booking did occur during the game, raising concerns among the league’s monitoring partners.

MLS said the suspicious betting activity was first detected by organisations responsible for overseeing betting integrity.

The discovery triggered a formal investigation, during which both players were placed on administrative leave while the case was reviewed.

Despite the seriousness of the breach, the league said there was no evidence that the players influenced the outcome of the match itself.

However, MLS stated it believed confidential information may have been shared with external bettors regarding the anticipated yellow card.

Commissioner Don Garber emphasised that safeguarding the integrity of the competition remains a central priority for the organisation.

At the time the investigation was carried out, neither player remained under contract with an MLS club.

Yeboah had been playing for Los Angeles FC before his contract was terminated.

The former winger, who previously spent time at Lille OSC, moved to China in February after leaving the club.

Jones had been part of the Columbus Crew squad and contributed to their victory in the MLS Cup 2024. He has been without a club since the start of the year.

Following the incident, Garber also called for changes to the betting markets surrounding MLS matches.

In particular, he highlighted concerns over wagers tied to disciplinary actions such as yellow cards, suggesting such markets could pose risks to the fairness of the competition.

The league also confirmed it will reinforce education programmes for players and continue strict enforcement of regulations prohibiting betting on football matches.