The United States said yes. Canada said no — and now a federal court in Ottawa has shut the door for good. Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his country’s World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto, after a motion to reconsider his denied Canadian visa was dismissed on Tuesday.
The decision caps a bitter 48 hours for the Black Stars and their fans, who had hoped Partey would be eligible for all three group-stage matches. Instead, the 33-year-old former Arsenal star is stuck in Rhode Island, where Ghana has set up its pre-tournament base camp, while his teammates prepare for Wednesday’s must-win clash in Toronto.
Why Canada Said No
At the heart of the visa denial is an ongoing criminal case in the United Kingdom. Partey faces seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault, involving four women, with incidents alleged between 2020 and 2022. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is scheduled to stand trial next year.
Under Canadian immigration law, a foreign national can be deemed inadmissible without a foreign conviction — as long as there are reasonable grounds to believe an act triggering inadmissibility has occurred. A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed this standard to Reuters, stating the bar for denial is lower than a criminal conviction.
The United States, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Canada and Mexico, granted Partey a visa and allowed him to train and play in games on American soil. He remains eligible for Ghana’s matches against England in Massachusetts on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.
Ghana’s Gamble Backfires
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz had publicly cited Partey’s presumption of innocence when selecting him for the 26-man squad. The Ghanaian government also filed a formal request for a visa review, but the federal court in Ottawa dismissed the motion on Tuesday, leaving the team with no further recourse.
Partey’s exclusion from the Toronto match has sparked frustration in Ghana and among Canada’s Ghanaian diaspora. Akua Mensah, a 45-year-old Canadian with Ghanaian roots, told Reuters the decision felt like an unnecessary blow. “It’s unfortunate,” she said. “We wanted to see him play on home soil.”
What This Means for Ghana’s World Cup
Ghana now faces a tactical upheaval less than 24 hours before kickoff. Partey, who spent last season on loan at Villarreal in Spain, is the team’s most experienced midfielder and a key figure in Queiroz’s system. Without him, the Black Stars will rely on younger options in Toronto — a city with a large Ghanaian community that had hoped to cheer the team’s biggest star in person.
The U.S.-Canada visa split highlights the complex patchwork of entry rules across the three host nations. For now, Partey remains in limbo — cleared to play everywhere except where his team needs him most.
Leave a Comment