The Black Stars will be without one of their biggest stars for their opening game of the FIFA World Cup in Toronto next week.
The Athletic confirmed that Thomas Partey will not be able to compete during Ghana’s tournament opener next week after he was denied entry to Canada.
Partey, one of Ghana’s top players and most influential midfielder, is set to stand trial on rape charges later this year, though it could be delayed to early 2027.
The former Arsenal player was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London’s Metropolitan Police in July 2025 and pleaded not guilty later that year.
He was then charged with two addition counts of rape this past February, again to which he plead not guilty.
In a statement to the outlet, FIFA confirmed that Partey was “unable to travel” for the match and that his visa application was denied.
“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.”
Partey, who now plays for Villareal in Spain, was included in Ghana’s World Cup squad and travelled with the team to Washington D.C. earlier this month and then to the Black Stars base camp on Friday.
Ghana is set to open its World Cup group stage campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto before playing its next two games in the U.S. Partey should be eligible to play against England on June 23 in Boston and against Croatia on June 27 in Philadelphia.
Why does Partey’s ban raise policy questions?
Partey being banned from entering Canada raises further questions about the policies of its co-hosting neighbour to the south, the United States.
Over the past week, there have been many reports of fans and even a FIFA-appointed referee being denied entry to the U.S. over immigration issues.
The entire Iranian national soccer team has faced myriad issues due to the Middle Eastern country’s ongoing war with America.
The Iranian team was forced to move its base camp from the U.S. to Mexico for the tournament and reportedly must enter and leave the States on the same days as its matches.
What are the charges against Partey?
The trial is initially been set for November, but reportedly could be delayed into 2027.
The charges from 2025 relate to three women and are alleged to have taken place in 2021 and 2022. The 2026 charges relate to a fourth woman and allegedly took place in 2020.