Thomas Partey Set to Face England After Canada Visa Ban
Thomas Partey will line up against England in Boston on Tuesday when Ghana take on the Three Lions in their second World Cup 2026 group fixture — but his path to the game has been far from straightforward.
The former Arsenal midfielder, who spent last season at Villarreal before his contract expires this month, was absent from Ghana’s opening match against Panama in Toronto after Canadian officials refused him entry. According to The Guardian, the reason his appeal failed was significant: a court found that Partey had answered “No” to having ever been charged with a criminal offence on his visa application — a declaration that was difficult to sustain given his high-profile legal situation in the United Kingdom.
Partey is facing five counts of rape and one of sexual assault, with two further rape charges subsequently added. He is due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court next year. He has denied all charges, and his legal team has stated he welcomes the opportunity to clear his name.
The United States has granted Partey a visa for the Boston fixture, meaning he is available for selection against England. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz, who previously served as an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, has stood firmly behind his player, arguing he should be regarded as innocent unless proven guilty.
Handshake Decision Left to England Players
The Football Association has declined to issue a directive on the pre-match handshake ritual, instead leaving it to individual players to decide how they wish to handle the moment. England’s squad includes Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, both of whom played alongside Partey at Arsenal.
The political fallout in Ghana has centred less on Partey’s inclusion in the squad and more on how the Ghanaian FA allowed the visa application error to occur in the first place. Ghanaian politician Fiifi Boafo publicly criticised the federation, saying the public had been misled about the true reason for the Canada refusal.
Partey is not the only player at this World Cup facing serious accusations. The Guardian also reports that Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi is to stand trial in France for an alleged rape he denies, while Japan’s Kaishu Sano had charges dropped after reportedly apologising to the complainant and making a financial settlement — he later said he was “truly sorry for causing trouble.”
You can follow England’s progress and live standings as the group stage continues.