MLS Terminates Contract of Sporting KC's Felipe Hernandez After Gambling Offense

This is the midfielder's second such violation.

May 25, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Sporting Kansas City midfielder Felipe Hernandez (21) controls the ball against Portland Timbers forward Jonathan Rodriguez (14) during the second half at Providence Park. / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of a second gambling offense, Sporting KC midfielder Felipe Hernandez is facing punishment from Major League Soccer.

MLS has terminated Hernandez's contract, Sporting KC announced Wednesday afternoon. The termination follows a previous gambling-related suspension in 2021, and Hernandez will now be barred from playing in the league until Jan. 2026.

"The league’s investigation found no evidence that inside information was shared or that the integrity of any MLS match was compromised," Sporting KC said in its statement.

Hernandez was suspended for the remainder of the season in Oct. '21 after he was found to have bet on MLS matches.

The Colombian-born midfielder—who has represented the United States internationally at the U-19 level—has played parts of six seasons for Sporting KC. He has scored four career goals in 76 MLS matches.

Sporting KC is currently 12th in the Western Conference with a 7-14-7 record—eight points behind ninth-place Minnesota United.