Partey blocked from Canada entry as Ghana start World Cup without him
TL;DR
Ghana will begin their World Cup campaign in Toronto without Thomas Partey after Canadian authorities refused his visa; FIFA confirmed he cannot travel with the squad for the opener against Panama. Partey faces seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault in the UK and has pleaded not guilty, with his trial potentially delayed to 2027. He remains eligible for Ghana’s remaining group games against England and Croatia. The rest of the team travelled to the U.S. training base ahead of the tournament. Immigration decisions are determined by host governments, not FIFA.
- Thomas Partey denied entry to Canada, unable to play in Ghana’s World Cup opener The New York Times
- Thomas Partey out of Ghana’s World Cup opener after visa application to Canada refused The Guardian
- Thomas Partey denied entry to Canada for World Cup game over rape allegations Yahoo Sports
- Thomas Partey denied entry to Canada, will miss Ghana's World Cup opener ESPN
- World Cup 2026: Ghana's Thomas Partey denied entry to Canada and will miss his nation's first World Cup game BBC
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