Ghana have appealed Canada’s decision to deny midfielder Thomas Partey entry into the country for their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match, with a federal court hearing the case on Tuesday, just one day before Ghana face Panama in Toronto on 17 June.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already condemned the visa refusal as a “high-handed and extremely unfair decision.” Partey, who currently plays for Villarreal in Spain, is awaiting trial in Britain on multiple rape charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The charges relate to allegations made by several women dating to his time at English club Arsenal between 2020 and 2025. Partey faces five counts of rape involving two women and one count of sexual assault involving another. In March, his lawyer confirmed he intends to plead not guilty to two additional rape charges after a further woman alleged he twice raped her on the same day in December 2020, allegations that emerged after the first set of charges became public.
Canada’s refusal to grant Partey entry has thrust the case into the spotlight at one of sport’s biggest events, with Ghana’s football authorities pushing back strongly against the decision ahead of their Group opener.
