Thomas Partey will not be allowed to play matches for Ghana in Canada after losing an appeal in Ottawa following his visa denial.
Ottawa denied the Villarreal player a visa over rape charges in Britain, preventing him from playing for Ghana in their 1-0 win against Panama on Wednesday at the Toronto Stadium.
The Villarreal midfielder was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025 by London’s Metropolitan Police. Later in September of that year, he pleaded not guilty to those charges. He was charged with two new counts of rape in February this year, to which he pleaded not guilty in April.
Following their win over Panama, Ghana is set to play England at the Boston Stadium on June 23rd before playing their last group game against Croatia in the Philadelphia Stadium on the 27th of June. Partey is eligible to feature in both games as he is able to enter the US.
In the event that Ghana progresses to the knockout stages as one of the best third-place finishes, chances are they could play in Vancouver in the round of 32, another game he could miss.
Partey was named by manager Carlos Queiroz in Ghana’s squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico earlier this month and arrived in Washington D.C. with his team-mates on the 4th of June.
A FIFA statement said: “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.”
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, but has not been convicted and is awaiting trial at the moment.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement: “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.”
“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 is scheduled to stand trial in the United Kingdom on seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault. He denies the allegations.
The seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault will be heard at Southwark Crown Court in London. The trial, which was originally scheduled for November of this year, may now be delayed until early 2027. Partey is required by his bail agreement to notify authorities of any plans to travel abroad.
Partey appeared 32 times for Villarreal in the 2025–26 domestic season. His contract with the Spanish club expires at the end of June, with a one-year extension option
