Thomas Partey denied entry into Canada, unable to play Ghana’s World Cup opener

Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s opening World Cup match in Toronto after being refused entry into Canada.

The 32-year-old midfielder, now with Villarreal and formerly of Arsenal, was charged in July 2025 by London’s Metropolitan Police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He denied all charges when he entered a not guilty plea in September that year. He has since been charged with two additional rape counts in February this year, to which he also pleaded not guilty in April.

Ghana are scheduled to begin their tournament against Panama at BMO Field on Wednesday, June 17, but Partey has been ruled out of the fixture due to the Canadian visa refusal. However, he remains eligible for Ghana’s subsequent Group L matches against England in Boston on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.

Partey, who was named in Ghana’s squad for the World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, arrived in Washington D.C. with the team on June 4 before they moved to their training base in Rhode Island.

According to FIFA, Partey cannot travel to Canada for the opening game because his visa application was denied by Canadian authorities. The world football governing body stressed that immigration decisions rest solely with host nations.

Canadian immigration rules state that individuals may be refused entry if they have been charged with or convicted of certain crimes, although Partey has not been convicted and is still awaiting trial.

The midfielder faces seven rape charges and one sexual assault charge, all of which are scheduled to be heard at Southwark Crown Court in London. The trial, initially set for November, could now be pushed to early 2027. Under his bail conditions, he must inform authorities before travelling abroad.

The allegations relate to incidents said to have occurred between 2020 and 2022 involving four women. Police investigations began in 2022 after an initial complaint, with further charges added following later reports.

Despite the legal proceedings, Partey continued his club career, featuring for Arsenal until the end of his contract after the 2024–25 season, before joining Villarreal, where he made 32 appearances in the 2025–26 campaign. His contract with the Spanish club runs until the end of June, with an option for extension.

Source: The Atletic