- More details soon …
Ghana’s defender Thomas Partey will not participate in his team’s first World Cup match against Panama as he has been denied a visa to enter Canada, where the match will take place in Toronto.
“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.”
At 32 years old, Partey, who previously played for Arsenal, is currently with Villarreal in Spain. His recent legal troubles have also been a topic of discussion.
In 2025, he faced charges in the UK involving five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, related to incidents that allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2022. He pleaded not guilty to all charges at Southwark Crown Court in September, and in February of this year, he was hit with two additional counts of rape after another victim came forward. He again pleaded not guilty in April to these new allegations, with a trial scheduled for June 2027.
His defense attorney, Jenny Wiltshire, stated.
“Thomas Partey continues to deny all charges against him. He has cooperated with the police throughout.”
Following their match in Toronto, Ghana is set to face England in Boston on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.
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