World Cup 2026: Thomas Partey to miss Ghana’s opener after visa appeal rejected

Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama after mistakenly telling authorities in Canada that he had never been arrested or charged with a crime.

Partey, 33, was denied entry to Canada ahead of Wednesday’s game against Toronto due to ongoing criminal investigations in England.

The Ghanaian government requested permission to enter the country briefly to attend the game, but that appeal was rejected in federal court in Ottawa.

The appeal decision stated that “there was no serious problem underlying the refusal” of the visa and that “the applicant did not disclose that she had made multiple criminal complaints in the UK for sexual violence”.

Former Arsenal player Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one sexual assault, relating to allegations from four different women between 2020 and 2022, and will stand trial next year.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told the BBC: ”Canada has been consistent that hosting large events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.

“Each person wishing to come to Canada is evaluated on an individual basis, based on the available facts and applicable laws.”