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Midfielder Thomas Partey will be unable to play the opening match against Panama at the 2026 World Cup for Ghana, after his entry was denied by host nation Canada.
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Thomas Partey (L) during Ghana's 1-2 friendly loss to Germany on March 30, 2026. Photo by AP |
FIFA confirmed on June 12 that Partey will be unable to play in the Ghana-Panama match in Toronto, Canada, on Thursday. Canada refused him entry, citing an ongoing legal dispute involving multiple sexual assault charges.
Partey will remain at Ghana's training camp in Boston, USA. He will get to play the remaining two Group L matches against England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27. Unlike Canada, the U.S. didn’t ban Partey from entering the country.
In July 2025, Partey was accused of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, involving three women between 2021 and 2022. In February 2026, the midfielder faced two additional charges of rape from a new accuser. At Southwark Crown Court, England, Partey pleaded not guilty. Sentencing is expected in January 2027, BBC reported.
Partey played for Arsenal from 2020 to 2025, making 167 appearances, scoring 9 goals, and finishing second in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons. In August 2025, after his contract with the Gunners expired, the 32-year-old joined Villarreal on a free transfer. Villarreal were aware of Partey’s legal issues but believed in the presumption of innocence.
At the peak of his career, Partey was one of the world's leading defensive midfielders. With Atletico Madrid, he has won the La Liga, Europa League, European Super Cup and reached the 2016 Champions League final. Last season, Partey helped Villarreal finish third in La Liga.
Partey has played for the Ghana national team since 2016 and participated in the 2022 World Cup. In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Ghana topped their group with 25 points. Partey was Ghana's second-highest scorer in their qualification campaign with three goals, after forward Jordan Ayew, who scored seven.
If Ghana finish second in Group L at the 2026 World Cup, they will have to return to Toronto, Canada, to face the second-placed team in Group K in the Round of 32. With the travel ban in place, Partey will miss out on the game again.
According to FIFA, the entry decision belongs to the host nation. Previously, the U.S. had banned entry to around 500 Ivorian football fans and Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, The New York Times reported.
After an 11-hour immigration interview, Artan said the U.S. officials were unable to provide a clear explanation despite having all the necessary travel documents, and suggested his Somali nationality may have been a factor.
