A Canadian Federal court has heard an appeal against the decision not to grant Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey a visa.
The 33-year-old’s visa issues relate to ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.
Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is due to stand trial next year.
The Ghanaian government, which labelled the decision “high-handed and extremely unfair”, sought permission for Partey to enter Canada briefly to take part in Ghana’s match against Panama.
It has also asked the court to instruct Canadian immigration authorities to allow Partey to submit a new visa application.
However, Ghana’s appeal suffered a significant setback during the court hearing at a federal court in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
The Federal Court of Canada upheld its decision to deny the midfielder from joining his colleagues on Canadian soil and will stay at the team’s US base.
Partey will thus miss Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto tonight, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 23:00 GMT.
Thomas Partey denied entry to Canada for Ghana’s World Cup opener
