Thomas Partey Denied Canada Visa, Set to Miss Ghana’s World Cup Opener

Thomas Partey has been ruled out of travelling with Ghana’s squad for their opening FIFA World Cup match against Panama in Canada after his visa application was refused by Canadian authorities.

FIFA confirmed that the midfielder will be unable to make the trip from the team’s base camp in Boston, United States, to Canada for the Group Stage fixture scheduled for 17 June. The governing body also reiterated that it does not oversee immigration procedures, stressing that all visa and entry decisions remain the responsibility of host nations.

While no official reason has been provided by Canadian authorities, reports have linked the decision to criminal charges in the United Kingdom involving multiple alleged sexual offences that Thomas Partey is currently facing. The player has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial on multiple charges.