Thomas Partey was not allowed into Canada as FIFA shared a statement before the World Cup opener.
Thomas Partey won’t be able to play in Ghana’s first World Cup game because his visa to enter Canada was denied.
The 2026 World Cup has officially started, with Mexico winning an exciting 2-0 match against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. Over the next few days, all 48 teams will play their opening games across Mexico, Canada, and the USA.
England will kick off their World Cup journey on Wednesday with a match against Croatia at the Dallas Stadium in Texas. On the same day, Ghana will face Panama in Toronto—they’re both in the same group as England, who Ghana will meet on June 23.
Unfortunately, Ghana won’t have Thomas Partey for their game against Panama. FIFA confirmed that Partey can’t travel from Ghana’s training base in Boston to Canada because his visa application was refused by the Canadian government. FIFA explained that visa decisions are made by the host countries, not by FIFA itself.
No official reason was given for the visa rejection, but Partey is currently waiting for trial in London over serious charges. He has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, related to alleged incidents between 2020 and 2022 involving four women. His lawyer said he denies all charges and has cooperated with the police.
We’ll share more updates as they come.