Partey set to face England at World Cup after Canada visa ban kept him from opener

Thomas Partey will line up for Ghana against England in Boston on Tuesday, making his first appearance at the 2026 World Cup after being barred from the tournament’s opening fixture in Canada.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who now plays for Villarreal, missed Ghana’s 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto after the Canadian government refused his visa application. Under Canadian law, foreign nationals can be deemed inadmissible without a conviction, and court documents revealed that Partey’s temporary resident visa application — submitted in May — did not disclose the criminal charges he faces in the United Kingdom, falsely answering “no” to a question asking whether he had “ever committed, been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of any criminal offence in any country.”

Partey has been charged by London’s Metropolitan Police with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is awaiting trial.

His lawyers filed an emergency appeal against the Canadian visa refusal, which was rejected by the Federal Court in Ottawa. FIFA confirmed it played no role in the decision, stating that “the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”

Because Partey was granted a US visa before the tournament began, he is eligible to play in both Ghana’s remaining group-stage matches — against England in Boston and against Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June. Ghana’s squad and staff crossed the US-Canada border from their base in Rhode Island for the Panama game, while Partey remained behind.

Speaking to reporters after training this week, Partey addressed the situation directly. “I think for me now it’s part of football,” he said. “Things happen outside football that you cannot control, but for me now I feel OK and I am ready to play.”

He may face a hostile reception from some spectators when he takes to the field in Boston, given the nature of the charges against him. The visa complications surrounding Partey are among the more prominent examples of the difficulties that players, staff, and supporters have encountered in gaining entry to the United States for this World Cup.