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 an appeal against the decision not to grant the midfielder a visa was turned down.

Partey, 33, was denied entry to Canada before the match in Toronto because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.

The Ghanaian government sought permission for Partey to enter the country briefly to take part in Wednesday’s game, with the appeal heard at a federal court in Ottawa on Tuesday.

A judge ruled there was “no serious issue in the underlying refusal” of the visa because Partey had “failed to disclose in his application that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK”.

Former Arsenal player Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is due to stand trial next year.

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

“Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.”