Partey to miss Ghana opener after Canada visa refusal
FIFA said Canada refused Thomas Partey’s visa application, keeping the Ghana midfielder out of Wednesday’s World Cup match against Panama in Toronto.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his team’s opening World Cup match after Canadian authorities refused his visa application, FIFA said Friday. The decision matters for Ghana because Partey cannot travel from the squad’s United States base to Toronto for Wednesday’s Group L game against Panama.
FIFA said the 32-year-old was not cleared to enter Canada while he awaits trial in the United Kingdom on multiple rape charges. The Associated Press reported that Partey has pleaded not guilty.
According to FIFA, Partey had been with Ghana at its base camp in Smithfield, Rhode Island, before the visa refusal blocked his trip to Canada. The governing body said immigration decisions rest with host governments rather than FIFA.
FIFA said Canada’s government had refused the visa application and added that it does not take part in host-country immigration procedures, including visa decisions. The organization said host governments decide who receives a visa and who may enter their countries for FIFA events.
Canada cites immigration law
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said applications are reviewed case by case under Canadian law, according to the Associated Press. The department said Canada is working to help stage the 2026 World Cup while protecting public safety and security.
IRCC also said hosting a major sports event does not alter Canada’s immigration rules, according to the Associated Press. Canada is one of the host countries for the 2026 World Cup, with matches also being played in the United States and Mexico.
The Associated Press reported that Partey was travelling back to Ghana’s Rhode Island camp after the visa denial. Ghana’s next group match is scheduled for June 23 against England in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Partey will be able to play, according to the report.
Ghana are then due to finish group play on June 27 against Croatia in Philadelphia, the Associated Press reported. The national team are appearing at the World Cup for the fifth time in the last six tournaments.
Trial pending in the UK
Partey is scheduled to stand trial in November or later over allegations from his time at Arsenal, where he played from 2020 to 2025, according to the Associated Press. He now plays for Villarreal in Spain.
The Associated Press also reported that Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi is another World Cup player awaiting trial on similar charges in Paris. No further details of Hakimi’s case were included in the report.
Ghana enter the tournament with a disrupted midfield option for the opener and a travel issue tied to the tournament’s cross-border format. FIFA’s position, according to its statement, is that the matter remains with Canadian immigration authorities rather than football officials.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.