Thomas Partey Ruled Out Of Ghana’s World Cup Opener After Canada Denies Visa Over Ongoing Criminal Case

Thomas Partey Ruled Out Of Ghana’s World Cup Opener After Canada Denies Visa Over Ongoing Criminal Case

Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama after Canada denied him a visa amid criminal proceedings.

Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Panama after the Canadian government denied his visa application, FIFA has confirmed.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who is currently with Villarreal and has earned 57 caps for Ghana, will be unable to travel from the Black Stars’ team base in the United States to Toronto for Wednesday’s Group Stage opener.

In a statement first reported by The Athletic, FIFA said the governing body had no role in the visa adjudication process.

“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,” the statement read.

“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.”

The visa refusal comes as Partey faces serious legal proceedings in the United Kingdom. The former Arsenal midfielder has been charged by London’s Metropolitan Police with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Last month, it was confirmed that Partey’s trial, which had been scheduled to begin in November at Southwark Crown Court, was postponed and is now expected to start on June 8, 2027.

Responding to inquiries about the visa decision, a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued a statement on behalf of Immigration Minister Lena Diab, stressing that Canada’s immigration laws remain unchanged despite the country’s role as a World Cup host.

“Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians,” the statement said.

“Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.

“Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.”

Partey featured in Ghana’s final World Cup warm-up match against Wales on June 2 and had been expected to play a key role in the team’s campaign.

However, as Ghana prepares to travel from its base in Rhode Island to Canada for the tournament opener, Partey will remain in the United States after returning to Rhode Island on Friday following the visa refusal.

The midfielder is expected to be available for Ghana’s second Group Stage match against England on June 23 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as that fixture will be played on U.S. soil. Ghana will conclude its group campaign against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.

Partey previously appeared in court to enter not-guilty pleas to all charges and remains on bail while legal proceedings continue. One of the conditions of his bail prohibits him from contacting the individuals who reported the alleged offences.

The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for October 2.

The Ghana Football Association had not publicly commented on the development at the time of filing this report.