MLS Hands Lifetime Ban to Yaw Yeboah Over Gambling
Major League Soccer has imposed lifetime bans on Yaw Yeboah and Derrick Jones after an investigation uncovered extensive gambling activity involving the two players.
The league confirmed on Monday that both players violated MLS gambling regulations by placing bets on football matches, including games involving their own teams.
According to the league, the investigation began after authorities detected suspicious betting alerts. An independent law firm was subsequently appointed to conduct a detailed probe into the matter. Both players were placed on administrative leave in October 2025 while the investigation was ongoing.
The findings revealed that Yeboah and Jones had been actively betting on football throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In one particular case, the pair reportedly placed a wager that Jones would receive a yellow card during a match played on October 19, 2024 — an incident that ultimately occurred.
“In one instance,” the league said, “both players bet on Jones to draw a yellow card during an 19 October, 2024 match, which he received.”
The two players previously shared the same dressing room at Columbus Crew during the 2024 campaign. Jones remained with the club for the 2025 season, while Yeboah moved to Los Angeles FC, making 17 appearances before mutually terminating his contract in January. The Ghanaian winger currently plays in the Chinese Super League.
Jones, 28, was born in Ghana but relocated to the United States as a teenager. He developed through the academy of Philadelphia Union before enjoying spells with clubs such as Nashville SC, Houston Dynamo and Charlotte FC. Over the course of his career, he has made 131 MLS league appearances.
Yeboah, who hails from Accra, began his football journey at the renowned Right to Dream Academy before joining Manchester City in 2014. He later spent time on loan with several clubs, including Wisła Kraków, before eventually moving to Columbus Crew ahead of the 2022 season. During his time with the club, Yeboah established himself as one of the league’s top left wing-backs and was part of the team that won the MLS Cup in 2023.
The league reiterated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the sport, noting that violations related to gambling are treated with the utmost seriousness.
