Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his country’s opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after he was denied entry into Canada.
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Partey, a former Arsenal midfielder who now plays for Villarreal, was expected to feature for Ghana in their Group L opener against Panama at BMO Field in Toronto on Wednesday, June 17.
However, FIFA has confirmed that the 32-year-old will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base in Boston, United States, to Canada after his visa application was refused by the Canadian government.
“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 said in a statement.
FIFA added that it is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including visa decisions.
“As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country,” the statement added.
Partey was charged in July 2025 by London’s Metropolitan Police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in September 2025.
In February 2026, he was charged with two additional counts of rape, to which he also pleaded not guilty in April.
He is due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court in London on seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The trial was initially scheduled for November but may now be delayed until early 2027.
The allegations, which Partey denies, relate to four women. The initial charges are said to concern alleged incidents in 2021 and 2022, while the later charges relate to alleged non-recent offences in 2020.
Under the conditions of his bail, Partey is required to notify authorities of any plan to travel abroad.
Despite the pending trial, Partey was included in Ghana’s squad for the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
He arrived in Washington, D.C., with his Ghana teammates on June 4 before the team moved to its training base in Rhode Island.
Although he will miss the Panama match in Toronto, Partey remains eligible to feature in Ghana’s next two Group L matches in the United States.
Ghana will face England at Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 23 before taking on Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on June 27.
The Canadian government’s immigration guidance states that a person who has committed or been convicted of a crime may be denied entry into Canada.
Partey has been charged and is awaiting trial but has not been convicted.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had earlier stated that it could not comment on individual cases without consent, but said Canadian authorities apply immigration rules consistently and without exception.
The agency said the safety and security of Canadians remain a priority as the country welcomes FIFA World Cup participants and visitors.
It added that immigration officers assess eligibility and admissibility under Canadian immigration laws and may deny entry where they believe an individual could pose a security risk.
Partey left Arsenal in June 2025 after making 35 Premier League appearances in the 2024/2025 season.
He joined Villarreal and made 32 appearances for the Spanish club during the 2025/2026 domestic season.
His current contract with Villarreal expires at the end of June, although the deal includes a one-year extension option.
The Ghana Football Association and Canadian immigration authorities had not issued further public comments on the matter as of the time of this report.
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