MLS Issues Lifetime Bans to Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah for Gambling on Own Games
Major League Soccer has taken severe disciplinary action, announcing on Monday that it has imposed lifetime bans on players Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah for extensive gambling activities, which included betting on matches involving their own teams. The league's decision follows a thorough investigation that uncovered multiple violations of its integrity policies.
Investigation Uncovers Betting on Yellow Card Incident
According to MLS, the investigation was initiated after the league received suspicious betting alerts, prompting it to retain a law firm to conduct a detailed review. The players were placed on administrative leave in late October 2025 as the inquiry progressed. The findings revealed that both Jones and Yeboah engaged in betting on soccer throughout the 2024 and 2025 seasons, with one notable instance involving a wager on Jones to receive a yellow card during a match on 19 October 2024, which he subsequently did.
Career Backgrounds and Team Overlaps
Jones and Yeboah overlapped for one season with the Columbus Crew in 2024. Jones, 28, who was born in Ghana and emigrated to the United States as a teenager, continued with the Crew for the 2025 season. He has made 131 league appearances in his career, having played for teams such as the Philadelphia Union, Nashville SC, Houston Dynamo, and Charlotte FC. Yeboah, also 28 and a native of Accra, Ghana, joined the Crew before the 2022 season after stints with Manchester City and Wisła Kraków. He developed into one of the league's top left-wingbacks, winning the MLS Cup with Columbus in 2023. In 2025, Yeboah signed with Los Angeles FC, making 17 appearances before mutually agreeing to cancel his contract in January and now plays in China.
Implications for MLS Integrity
This case highlights the ongoing challenges sports leagues face in maintaining integrity amid gambling risks. MLS emphasized that such violations undermine the sport's credibility and will not be tolerated. The lifetime bans serve as a stark warning to other players about the consequences of engaging in prohibited betting activities.
