Major League Soccer (MLS) has imposed a lifetime ban on Ghana international Yaw Yeboah after an investigation concluded that he placed bets on football matches, including games within the MLS competition.
The decision was confirmed on Monday following a lengthy investigation into suspicious betting activities involving the former Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC winger.
According to MLS, Yeboah was involved in significant gambling on football during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, breaching the league’s strict integrity regulations. MLS rules strictly forbid players from betting on football competitions anywhere in the world, especially matches linked to the league.
The investigation also led to disciplinary action against Derrick Jones, a Ghana-born midfielder who previously played for multiple MLS clubs, including Columbus Crew. Jones received the same lifetime ban after investigators determined that he too had placed bets on league matches.
Officials revealed that some of the wagers were connected to MLS fixtures, including games involving the players’ teams. Jones was also associated with a suspicious betting incident involving a yellow card during a match on October 19, 2024, which drew attention after unusual betting patterns were detected.
MLS emphasized that the severe punishments were necessary to safeguard the integrity of the competition. The league reiterated that gambling on football by players is considered a serious violation of its rules.
However, the investigation found no evidence that the results of any matches were manipulated.
The ban comes only days after Yeboah completed a transfer to Chinese Super League club Qingdao Hainiu on February 28. The winger has already made an appearance for his new side, starting the match and scoring in a 3–1 away defeat to Yunnan Yukun FC last Saturday.
It is still unclear whether Yeboah knew about the pending disciplinary decision before leaving MLS, raising questions about the timing of his departure from the league.
A graduate of Ghana’s Right to Dream Academy, Yeboah previously played club football in Germany, Spain, and Poland before joining MLS in 2022 with Columbus Crew, later moving to Los Angeles FC.
The case is among the most serious disciplinary actions taken by MLS in recent years, as football authorities worldwide continue to tighten oversight on betting-related violations involving players and officials.