Ghana will be without one of its top players for the opening match of the FIFA World Cup in Toronto next week. The Athletic confirmed that Thomas Partey was denied entry to Canada, making him ineligible for the tournament opener.
Partey's Legal Troubles
Partey, a former Arsenal midfielder now playing for Villareal in Spain, faces seven rape charges. London's Metropolitan Police charged him with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025, to which he pleaded not guilty. In February 2026, he was charged with two additional counts of rape, again pleading not guilty. The trial is set for November but may be delayed to early 2027.
Visa Denial
FIFA confirmed that Partey's visa application was refused by the Canadian government. In a statement, FIFA said: "FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana's team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government." FIFA noted it is not involved in host countries' immigration processes.
Impact on Ghana's World Cup Campaign
Ghana opens its World Cup group stage against Panama on June 17 in Toronto. Partey traveled with the team to Washington D.C. and then to the base camp in Boston. He should be eligible to play in subsequent matches against England on June 23 in Boston and Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.
Policy Questions Raised
Partey's ban raises questions about U.S. immigration policies as a co-host. Recently, fans and a FIFA-appointed referee were denied entry to the U.S. The entire Iranian national team faced issues due to the ongoing war with America, forcing them to move their base camp to Mexico and requiring same-day entry and exit for matches.
Details of Charges
The 2025 charges involve three women and are alleged to have occurred in 2021 and 2022. The 2026 charges involve a fourth woman and allegedly took place in 2020.
