Thomas Partey Denied Entry to Canada, Ruled Out of Ghana’s World Cup Opener
Ghana midfielder ruled out of opener in Toronto after Canadian visa refusal despite being named in World Cup squad.
- Partey denied entry to Canada for Ghana’s opening match.
- He remains eligible for remaining group games in the USA.
- Visa refusal linked to Canadian immigration admissibility rules.
Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being denied entry into Canada, ruling him out of the team’s first Group L fixture in Toronto.
The 32-year-old midfielder, who currently plays for Villarreal, is part of Ghana’s squad for the tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, he will be unable to travel for the opener against Panama at BMO Field after his visa application was refused by Canadian authorities.
Ghana are scheduled to begin their campaign on June 17 before facing England national football team in Boston on June 23 and then Croatia national football team in Philadelphia on June 27. Partey remains eligible to feature in the latter two matches, which will be played in the United States.
FIFA confirmed the situation in a statement, noting that host governments retain final authority over visa and entry decisions and that the organization is not involved in immigration approvals.
Canadian immigration rules state that individuals who have been charged with certain offences may be deemed inadmissible. While Partey has been charged with multiple offences and has pleaded not guilty, he has not been convicted, and legal proceedings are ongoing.
Partey was included in Ghana’s tournament squad earlier this month and arrived in the United States with teammates on June 4 before the team moved to its training base in Rhode Island.
The case against him is set to be heard at Southwark Crown Court in London, with multiple charges scheduled for trial. The proceedings relate to allegations dating between 2020 and 2022, all of which he denies.
Under his bail conditions, Partey is required to inform authorities of any international travel plans.
The Ghana Football Association and Canadian immigration authorities have not issued further public comment on the decision.
Partey spent the 2025–26 season at Villarreal following his departure from Arsenal, where he made over 30 appearances in his final campaign in English football.
