Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his team's World Cup opener against Panama after being denied entry to Canada due to pending UK charges for seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault. Partey, who pleads not guilty, was granted a U.S. visa and can play in later matches. Canadian law permits inadmissibility based on "reasonable grounds" of a crime, even without a conviction.
Rape charges against Partey
- ▪Thomas Partey is facing seven counts of rape relating to allegations from four different women
- ▪The alleged crimes occurred between 2020 and 2022
- ▪London's Metropolitan Police first charged Thomas Partey in July 2025, adding two new counts of rape in February 2026
- ▪Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is awaiting trial in London
Canada visa denial
- ▪Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey was denied entry to Canada and will miss his team's opening World Cup match against Panama
- ▪FIFA confirmed that the Canadian government refused Thomas Partey's visa application
- ▪Ghana's sports minister Kofi Adams called Canada's decision to deny Thomas Partey entry "absolutely wrong."
- ▪Ghana's opening match against Panama is scheduled for June 17, 2026, in Toronto
Sexual assault allegations
- ▪In addition to rape charges, Thomas Partey faces one count of sexual assault
- ▪Thomas Partey is on bail with conditions that he not contact alleged victims and must inform the court of plans to travel abroad
U.S. visa approval process
- ▪Thomas Partey is eligible to play in Ghana's U.S.-based group matches against England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27
- ▪A U.S. Customs and Border Protection official stated Thomas Partey was admitted to the U.S. as he has not been convicted of a crime
- ▪Despite the charges, Thomas Partey was granted a U.S. visa and is with Ghana's squad at their training camp in Boston
Canadian immigration rules
- ▪The Canadian government stated that hosting major events like the World Cup does not change the country's immigration laws
- ▪Canadian law allows officials to deem a person inadmissible if there are "reasonable grounds to believe" they committed a crime, even without a conviction
Partey career since charges
- ▪Thomas Partey left Arsenal in June 2025 and signed for Villarreal in August 2025, after the initial charges were filed
- ▪Thomas Partey, 32, is a midfielder for the Spanish club Villarreal, having previously played for Arsenal
- ▪Ghana's coach, Carlos Queiroz, defended selecting Thomas Partey for the World Cup, citing the presumption of innocence
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