West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá faces FA betting charges, potential lifetime ban

The Football Association (FA) is pushing for a lifetime ban for West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá ahead of his upcoming betting charge hearing, which is set to be one of the longest proceedings in FA history.

Paquetá, 26, was charged in May 2024 for allegedly breaching FA betting regulations. The charges state that he attempted to manipulate matches by deliberately receiving yellow cards to influence betting markets for financial gain. The three-week hearing is scheduled for this month.

In a statement at the time of the charges, the Brazilian international denied any wrongdoing.

“I’m extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me. For nine months, I’ve fully cooperated with their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name,” he said.

The FA and West Ham have declined to comment on the matter. However, sources close to Paquetá suggest he remains confident of proving his innocence. He insists he has never placed a bet on football and is determined to clear his name.

Paquetá, who has been a key player for West Ham since joining from Lyon in 2022, could face severe consequences if found guilty, with the FA pushing for the harshest possible sanction.