Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a Canadian court upheld a decision to deny the midfielder entry into the country.
The former Arsenal star had been hoping to feature against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday, but his visa application was rejected following concerns raised by Canadian immigration authorities.
Court documents revealed that Partey failed to disclose ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom when completing his visa application.
According to the ruling, the 33-year-old stated that he had never been arrested or charged with a criminal offence, despite currently facing multiple charges in the UK.
The federal court in Ottawa dismissed an appeal lodged on his behalf, ruling there was “no serious issue in the underlying refusal” with the original visa refusal.
The judgment stated that Partey “the applicant failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK” and noted that immigration officials had legitimate concerns about the accuracy of the information provided in his application.
Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022. He is scheduled to stand trial next year.
Canadian immigration authorities had previously contacted the Ghana international to question whether he had met the requirement to answer questions truthfully during the visa process.
Officials also referenced provisions within immigration law covering misrepresentation, which can result in visa refusals even where no criminal conviction exists.
The court further emphasised that Canadian immigration rules do not require a conviction to determine inadmissibility.
According to the ruling, “having reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed is sufficient” for authorities to deny entry.
Ghana’s government had mounted a last-minute legal challenge in an effort to secure temporary entry for Partey so he could participate in the World Cup opener.
However, the appeal was unsuccessful, leaving Black Stars coach Carlos Queiroz without one of his most experienced players for the crucial Group L fixture.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada defended its position following the ruling.
“Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws,” the department said.
“Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.”
While Canada denied Partey entry, the United States has taken a different approach.
US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that the midfielder had been admitted into the country after obtaining a visa and that officials were aware of the pending court proceedings.
“The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey,” a CBP statement said.
“However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.”
Partey, now playing for Spanish side Villarreal, has earned more than 50 caps for Ghana since making his international debut in 2016.
Before the tournament, Queiroz publicly backed his decision to include the midfielder in his squad and reiterated that position when asked about the situation this week.
“My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me,” the Ghana coach said.
Ghana’s remaining group matches will be played in the United States, where they face England in Boston on June 23 before taking on Croatia in Philadelphia four days later.
However, if the Black Stars advance as runners-up in Group L, they could face the prospect of returning to Canada for a last-32 tie — potentially creating further complications surrounding Partey’s availability.
