FIFA World Cup: Thomas Partey loses visa appeal, to miss Ghana opener after Canada entry ban

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his country's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a Canadian federal court rejected an appeal seeking to overturn a visa refusal that has prevented him from entering the country.

In Short

• Thomas Partey was barred from Canada's World Cup opener due to a visa refusal
• A Canadian court upheld the visa denial, citing ongoing UK criminal charges
• Partey will rejoin Ghana's squad for group-stage matches in United States

Ghana will be without midfielder Thomas Partey for their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a Canadian federal court upheld a decision denying him entry into the country.

Justice Roger Lafreniere rejected Partey's appeal on Tuesday, ending the midfielder's hopes of joining the Black Stars in Toronto for their Group L opener against Panama at BMO Field on Wednesday.

The ruling came after Partey's legal team sought emergency relief from a visa refusal that had prevented the former Arsenal player from traveling to Canada with the rest of the Ghana squad. Lafreniere ruled that Partey had failed to demonstrate sufficient grounds for such relief.

The Canadian government denied Partey's visa application because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom. The 32-year-old faces seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and a trial is scheduled for later this year.

During the hearing, Canadian authorities argued that hosting the World Cup did not warrant exemptions to the country's immigration laws and that Partey should not receive special treatment because of his status as a professional footballer.

In a statement submitted as part of the appeal, Partey stressed that he remained presumed innocent under the law.

"I have not been convicted of any offense. I have pleaded not guilty, and I remain presumed innocent," Partey said.

Despite being unable to travel to Canada, Partey has remained with the Ghana squad at their World Cup base in Providence, Rhode Island, where he has taken part in training and preparations.

The decision is a setback for Ghana on the eve of their World Cup campaign, with head coach Carlos Queiroz forced to begin the tournament without one of his most experienced players.

However, Queiroz suggested that the uncertainty surrounding Partey's availability had not disrupted his plans for the Panama match.

"My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me," Queiroz told reporters on Tuesday. "We are waiting for a decision. When the decision comes, we are ready."

Sources within the Ghana camp also indicated that a favourable verdict at such a late stage would have had little impact on the team's preparations.

"The coach already had his match day strategy worked out. Win or lose, it would not have changed much for this game," a source told ESPN.

The Government of Ghana had publicly supported Partey's appeal, describing the visa refusal as "high-handed and extremely unfair", but the intervention failed to alter the outcome.

Partey, who currently plays for Villarreal, has scored 16 goals in 58 appearances for Ghana and was a key figure during their World Cup qualifying campaign, contributing three goals.

While he will miss Wednesday's match against Panama, Partey is expected to rejoin the squad for Ghana's remaining Group L fixtures against England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27, both of which will be played in the United States.

For now, Ghana's focus shifts to Panama as the four-time African champions begin their World Cup journey without one of the most influential players of their generation.

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