Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s opening match against Panama on June 17 after being denied entry to Canada.
The Athletic reported on Friday that Villareal footballer Partey, who has been charged with multiple rapes by London’s Metropolitan Police, will not enter co-host Canada.
Partey pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape in March and is separately awaiting trial for five counts of rape involving two women and one count of sexual assault involving a third woman.
A FIFA statement to the Athletic read: “FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will not be able to travel from the Ghana team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government.
FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the granting of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted to the country.”
Partey, 32, pleaded not guilty to the first set of charges and will be tried at Southwark Crown Court in November. Those alleged crimes occurred between 2021 and 2022, prosecutors say.
The midfielder came to Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020.
He was initially charged last July, just days after his Arsenal contract expired. Villarreal signed him in August, two days after he was granted bail.
Ghana is in the same group as England, Croatia and Panama.
Partey played three World Cup qualifiers in September and October. He played more than fifty matches for Ghana.
Published on June 12, 2026
