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Ghana is taking Canada to court over a visa denial that could sideline one of its most important players from the 2026 World Cup. The West African nation’s government has filed for a judicial review of the decision to block midfielder Thomas Partey from entering Canada, where Ghana is set to play its opening match.
What happened
Canadian immigration authorities denied Partey’s visa application on grounds related to ongoing legal proceedings against him in the United Kingdom. Partey, who currently plays for Villarreal FC, faces allegations of rape and sexual assault in the UK, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama is scheduled for June 17, 2026, in Toronto. Partey would be unable to travel from the team’s US base camp in Boston to Toronto for the match.
Partey has already been granted a visa to enter the United States. So he can be in Boston but not cross the border to Toronto, roughly a 90-minute flight away.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Canada’s decision as “high-handed and extremely unfair,” arguing the refusal was based on “flimsy grounds.”
FIFA confirmed it is aware of the visa decision but clarified that it does not play a role in immigration matters.
The legal backdrop
Partey faces criminal charges in England, with a trial scheduled for 2027 in the UK. He has maintained a not guilty plea to all charges throughout the proceedings.
Canadian immigration law allows authorities to deny entry based on criminal admissibility, even when charges have not resulted in a conviction.
The timing of Partey’s UK trial, scheduled for 2027, means his legal status won’t be resolved before the World Cup. That leaves the Canadian court hearing as the only realistic path to getting Partey into Toronto for the Panama match.
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