West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of match-fixing allegations by an independent regulatory panel, bringing relief to the Brazilian midfielder and the club. The decision followed a thorough hearing process where four major charges tied to alleged betting rule violations were reviewed and dismissed.
The Football Association (FA) had accused the 27-year-old of deliberately seeking yellow cards during four Premier League matches—in games against Leicester in 2022, and Aston Villa, Leeds, and Bournemouth in 2023—with the intent to manipulate betting outcomes. If found guilty, Paqueta could have faced a lifetime ban from football.
Paqueta consistently denied the allegations. After assessing all the evidence, the commission ruled that none of the spot-fixing charges were proven. However, the FA confirmed that two separate charges—related to Paqueta’s failure to fully cooperate with the investigation—were upheld. A decision on possible penalties for these breaches will be made soon.
Paqueta, who joined West Ham in 2022, expressed gratitude to his supporters in a statement, thanking God, his family, West Ham fans, and his legal team. He also said he is looking forward to returning to the pitch with joy.
Club vice-chair Karren Brady said the outcome vindicated Paqueta’s stance and praised the player for his resilience. Alastair Campbell, his lead legal representative, acknowledged the emotional and professional toll the case took on the player but commended his determination.
The FA stated it is waiting for the written explanation from the commission before making any further comments. This development comes amid wider scrutiny of betting in football, with Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali having received a suspended ban last year for similar rule breaches during an earlier suspension in Italy.
