FA ordered to pay 90% of costs in the betting saga of West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta | OneFootball

The FA are facing a total legal bill of more than £1 million after being ordered to pay 90 per cent of costs in the betting saga involving West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta, according to the Times.

Paqueta avoided a lifetime ban after he was cleared of spot-fixing allegations in July and he remains at the London Stadium club after he was linked with a summer exit.

However, the West Ham star has been found guilty of failing to answer questions and provide information to the FA’s investigation.

Paqueta has only been reprimanded with a warning, and he will be contributing 10 per cent to the commission costs, with the FA covering the remaining 90 per cent.

The governing body will be picking up almost the whole cost of Paqueta’s legal fees, but the Brazil international and West Ham had considered legal action against them.

The Hammers and the midfielder could now draw a line under the matter as the FA have no plans to appeal against the panel’s decision.

The 28-year-old was accused of deliberately getting yellow-carded in games against Leicester City in November 2022, Aston Villa in March 2023, Leeds United in May 2023 and Bournemouth in August 2024.

It was argued that those bookings were designed to help his friends and family members back in Brazil win bets, and the accusations blocked him from joining Manchester City in the summer of 2023.

The saga has finally ended, with the FA now set to cover almost the legal costs accrued, and Paqueta and West Ham will be happy that things have settled down.