Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will not be available to Ghana in the nation’s World Cup opening match against Panama on Wednesday, after Canada denied the now-Villarreal star entry.
After an initial ruling that left Partey unable to enter the country, Partey’s appeal and bid for emergency relief were dismissed. Justice Roger Lafreniére, who heard the application on Tuesday, rejected the request, leaving the Black Stars without a key star against the stingy Concacaf side in Toronto.
The 32-year-old now remains in the U.S. with the Ghana team as it trains for the match and will not be able to play for the team until its second match, which is stateside on June 23 against England in Foxborough, Mass.
Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in 2025 by London’s Metropolitan Police. He pleaded not guilty, before being charged with two new counts of rape in February of 2026. He pleaded not guilty again in April.
When applying to enter Canada for the World Cup, Partey falsely claimed that he had not been charged with any criminal offenses in any country. According to The Athletic, Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship department said that his application was denied due to misrepresentation. Partey was also denied a temporary resident permit, prompting him and his representatives to request for an appeal in federal court, which was denied on Tuesday.
Justice Lafrenière said Partey failed to prove worthy for emergency relief. Ghana’s manager Carlos Queiroz spoke to media in Toronto while awaiting the court’s decision: “My business, it is to play with the cards that I have in front of me.”
Throughout planning for the World Cup, Canada has indicated that its immigration decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and that hosting the tournament does not alter the country’s immigration laws, which differ from both the U.S. and Mexico’s immigration laws.
“Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies, while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians as a top priority,” the IIRC said in a statement.
Ghana’s Outlook Without Partey
Missing Parety doesn’t change how critically important Ghana’s first Group L match against Panama is. With upcoming challenges against world superpowers England and Croatia, Ghana will likely need to find a win on Wednesday to have any chance at advancing from the group stage.
With six losses in their last seven matches, the West Africans are a far cry from the heights of the last decade. Without Partey, they will need to lean on Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mohammed Kudus and veteran Jordan Ayew.
Playing likely their only matchup north of the U.S.-Canada border, the Black Stars were greeted by hundreds of fans outside the hotel and expect a largely supportive crowd at BMO Field.
