Partey denied – Thomas Partey will not play in Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto after Canada refused his visa. The decision means the 32-year-old, charged in London with multiple sexual offences, cannot enter Canada for June 17, though he is eligible for Gha
Ghana’s World Cup week was already moving fast—then Thomas Partey hit a wall at the border.
On Wednesday, June 17, Ghana open their tournament at Toronto’s BMO Field against Panama. It’s now been confirmed Partey will not be able to enter Canada in time to feature. The reason is blunt and final: his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government. leaving him unable to travel from the team’s base camp in Boston. USA. to Canada for the opening match.
The tournament schedule makes the absence sharper. After the Panama game, Ghana play England at Gillette Stadium (Boston) on June 23, then close Group L against Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on June 27. Partey is eligible to be involved in both of those later matches.
The FIFA statement delivered the timeline in precise terms. FIFA said it can confirm 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 also added that it is not involved in immigration processes for host countries. noting that the host government determines who receives a visa and is admitted.
On the legal side, Partey’s situation is still before the courts. The former Arsenal midfielder. now with Villarreal. was charged in July 2025 by London’s Metropolitan Police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. In September 2025, he pleaded not guilty. In February of this year, he was charged with two new counts of rape and pleaded not guilty in April.
Canada’s own guidance helps explain why a refusal could happen before any conviction. The Canadian government website states that “if you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into Canada.” Partey has been charged and is awaiting trial; he has not been convicted.
In the background, the practical details have been moving. Partey. 32. was included in Ghana’s squad for the tournament in the United States. Canada and Mexico earlier this month. and he arrived in Washington D.C. with team-mates on June 4. The Ghana team then traveled to their training base in Rhode Island on Friday.
Ghana’s World Cup preparations have now been forced to adjust around a player who is otherwise within reach. Under the terms of his bail. Partey is obliged to notify authorities of any plans to travel abroad—something that. for this first trip into Canada. appears to have come up against the visa refusal.
While FIFA said it is not involved in visa adjudication, the governing spotlight has turned to who decides and how. The Athletic have approached the Ghana Football Association and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for comment. The IRCC previously told The Athletic in a statement before the World Cup that without a signed consent form. it is not possible to provide details regarding any individual situation. but that the safety and security of Canadians is the priority. IRCC also said it applies its rules consistently and that trained officers assess eligibility and admissibility under Canadian immigration laws. with denial possible if an individual is believed to pose a security risk.
The case itself is set to be heard at Southwark Crown Court, London. The seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault will be tried at Southwark Crown Court. The trial was originally scheduled for November, but may now be delayed until early 2027.
Under the allegations, detectives began investigating after a report received in February 2022. The first set of six charges relates to three women and is alleged to have taken place in 2021 and 2022. The two further charges relate to a fourth woman after a separate report of non-recent offences in 2020. following a new investigation by the Met. Those allegations were first reported to police in August 2025.
Even with the World Cup drawing global attention, Partey’s football path has continued up to this point. He left Arsenal in June of last year. making 35 Premier League appearances in the 2024-25 season—his last at the Emirates Stadium. After joining Villarreal, he played 32 times for the club during the 2025-26 domestic season. His contract with Villarreal expires at the end of June, though there is a one-year extension option.
For Ghana, the immediate consequence is straightforward: on June 17 in Toronto, Partey will be watching rather than playing. For everyone else watching him. the tension isn’t only about football anymore—it’s about what happens when the legal process meets the strict requirements of a national border.
Thomas Partey Ghana World Cup 2026 Canada visa refusal Panama BMO Field FIFA statement Southwark Crown Court Metropolitan Police Villarreal