The 2026 World Cup hasn’t even kicked off for Ghana, and already the team has been dealt a major off-field blow. Midfielder Thomas Partey, a former Arsenal standout now playing for Villarreal, has been denied entry into Canada ahead of Ghana’s Group B opener against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, in Toronto. The decision, confirmed by FIFA late Friday, stems from multiple criminal charges pending against him in the United Kingdom.
Dan Sheldon of The Athletic broke the story, reporting that Partey remains with Ghana’s base camp in Boston, Massachusetts, while his teammates travel north for the match. According to Sheldon, the Canadian government rejected Partey’s visa application, effectively sidelining him for what was expected to be a pivotal game in the tournament’s first stage.
Partey faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, originally filed by London’s Metropolitan Police in July 2025. He pleaded not guilty to all counts that September. Then, in February 2026, prosecutors added two new rape charges, to which Partey also entered not-guilty pleas in April. Despite these pending proceedings, Partey has not been convicted, and his trial has not yet begun.
FIFA’s statement, provided to The Athletic via Sheldon, read: “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 is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”
Canada, which opens its own World Cup campaign later Friday against Bosnia at BMO Field in Toronto, is serving as one of three host nations alongside the United States and Mexico. The visa denial highlights the complex legal and diplomatic considerations that can surface during a global tournament hosted across multiple jurisdictions.
Partey is still expected to be available for Ghana’s remaining group-stage matches, which will be played in the United States — specifically in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The team has not commented on whether the charges will affect his travel eligibility to those venues, and no official statement from Ghana’s football federation has been released at this time.
Fans online quickly noted the irony: a player accused of serious crimes in the UK can enter the U.S. but is blocked by Canada. The situation remains fluid, and more updates are expected as legal proceedings continue and the tournament progresses.
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