Thomas Partey Canada visa ruling: Key ketails of court decision

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss the Black Stars' opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Panama after Canada's Federal Court rejected his urgent appeal against a visa refusal.

The ruling, delivered on June 16, upholds a decision by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) denying the former Arsenal midfielder entry into Canada ahead of Ghana's Group L clash at Toronto's BMO Field.

Canadian immigration authorities found Partey inadmissible under Section 36(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) after reviewing information relating to criminal charges he faces in the United Kingdom.

The court noted that Partey is facing seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in England, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.

A central argument from Partey's legal team was that he had not been convicted of any offence. However, the court ruled that Canadian law does not require a conviction before a person can be deemed inadmissible.

The judge stated that immigration officials only need "reasonable grounds" to believe an offence was committed if it would constitute a serious crime under Canadian law.

The ruling revealed that when applying for a temporary resident visa, Partey answered "No" when asked whether he had been arrested, charged with, or committed a criminal offence.

Immigration authorities later issued a procedural fairness letter after discovering reports of the charges in the UK.

The judge rejected claims that immigration officers ignored evidence or acted unfairly in reaching their decision.

According to the ruling, Partey was informed that his admissibility to Canada was under review and had an opportunity to respond before a final decision was made.

Partey's lawyers argued that being unable to play at the World Cup would cause serious professional and reputational damage.

The court disagreed, ruling that any reputational harm arose primarily from the criminal allegations themselves rather than Canada's immigration decision. The judge also found that missing World Cup matches did not meet the legal threshold for irreparable harm.

The court ruled that the public interest in maintaining the integrity of Canada's immigration system outweighed Partey's request for emergency relief.

The judge said granting special treatment in such circumstances would undermine the consistent application of Canada's inadmissibility laws.

While dismissing the appeal, the court acknowledged that Partey had submitted a request for reconsideration of the visa refusal as well as an application for a temporary resident permit (TRP).

The judge urged Canadian authorities to deal with those requests quickly due to the time-sensitive nature of the World Cup but declined to intervene further.

The Federal Court upheld Canada's decision to deny Thomas Partey entry into the country. The ruling means the Ghana midfielder will miss the Black Stars' World Cup opener against Panama, with the court finding that Canadian immigration authorities acted lawfully and within the powers granted to them under immigration legislation.