West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing allegations nearly two years after the Football Association (FA) launched an investigation into the matter.
The FA began investigating the Brazil international in August 2023 and formally charged him in May 2024, alleging that he had deliberately received yellow cards to influence betting outcomes. Paqueta, 27, was facing a potential lifetime ban if found guilty.
The four charges were tied to Premier League matches against Leicester City on 12 November 2022, Aston Villa on 12 March 2023, Leeds United on 21 May 2023, and Bournemouth on 12 August 2023. However, an independent regulatory commission ruled that these charges were “not proven.”
In addition, Paqueta faced two charges for failing to cooperate with the FA’s investigation, specifically for breaching FA Rule F3 by allegedly not complying with Rule F2, which concerns the provision of information and documents.
While he denied these charges, the commission found them to be proven. A decision on the appropriate sanction is expected soon.
“Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations,” Paqueta said.
“I can’t say anything more at this time, but I would like to express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.
To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham United, to the fans who always cheered me on, and to my family, friends and the legal team who have supported me – thank you for everything.”
