Thomas Partey to miss Ghana vs Panama World Cup opener after Canada court rejects appeal

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 appeal against a decision denying him entry into the country.

The appeal, which was heard in Ottawa on Tuesday, sought to overturn the ruling that prevented the 33-year-old from entering Canada ahead of Ghana's Group L opener at Toronto's BMO Field on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by the Government of Ghana on Saturday, the decision to deny Partey entry is understood to be linked to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom, despite there being no conviction or judicial finding of guilt against the player.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who currently plays for Villarreal CF, was charged by London's Metropolitan Police in July 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in September 2025.

Earlier this year, he was also charged with two additional counts of rape, to which he again entered not-guilty pleas in April.

The Ghanaian government described Canada's decision as "extremely unfair" and announced plans to challenge the ruling through legal action at the Federal Court. Court documents filed in Ottawa listed a case between Partey and Canada's minister of citizenship and immigration, classified as an "immediate appeal for leave and judicial review arising outside of Canada".

In a statement published on X, Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, revealed that the government was pursuing active diplomatic engagements, arguing that the decision raised significant concerns regarding fairness and proportionality.

Speaking ahead of Ghana's World Cup opener, Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz declined to comment extensively on the matter.

"My business is to play with the cards that are in front of me. We were waiting for a decision, and now we are ready to make our final approach to the game," Queiroz said.

Partey was named in Ghana's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier this month and joined his teammates in Washington, D.C., before the team moved to its training base in Rhode Island.

Following the clash against Panama, Ghana will face the England national football team on June 23 in Boston before taking on the Croatia national football team on June 27 in Philadelphia.

The Black Stars will be hoping to advance from Group L despite the absence of one of their most experienced midfielders for the tournament opener.