Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s opening match in the World Cup after the Canadian government denied his visa application. “Partey has been charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London’s Metropolitan Police and is awaiting trial,” ESPN reports. The 32-year-old has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on June 8, 2027. “FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” FIFA said in a statement. “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country,” it added. From @TheAthleticFC: Thomas Partey was denied entry into Canada and will not play in Ghana’s opening World Cup game. The former Arsenal midfielder is due to stand trial in the UK on seven charges of rape and one of sexual assault. He denies the charges. https://t.co/v1gvG7i97l — The New York Times (@nytimes) June 12, 2026 ESPN shared further: A media spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued a statement to ESPN on behalf of the office’s minister, Lena Diab, regarding the visa denial Friday. “Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians,” the statement read. “Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws. “Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies,” the statement read. Partey played for Arsenal from 2020 to 2025 and is currently at Villarreal. He has 57 caps for Ghana and featured in their last warmup match against Wales on June 2. But as the team prepares to travel from its Rhode Island base to Canada, Partey will not be joining it. Ghana will play Panama in Toronto on June 17. Partey will be able to play in the team’s other two group stage matches, which take place in the United States. Ghana will play England in Boston on June 23 and take on Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27. Watch below: FIFA have confirmed that Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will be unable to play in Ghana's opening game against Panama in Toronto next Wednesday because the Canadian government have decided not to issue him with a visa. pic.twitter.com/i1mQc4cGS3 — Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 12, 2026 More from The New York Times: The Canadian government website outlines that, “if you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into Canada.” Partey has been charged, but is awaiting trial and has not been convicted. The Athletic have approached the Ghana Football Association and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for comment. The IRCC previously told The Athletic in a statement before the World Cup: “Without any signed consent form, it is not possible for IRCC to provide details regarding any individual situation. “We can, however, state that the safety and security of Canadians is our priority as we welcome FIFA World Cup participants and visitors from around the world. That is why IRCC applies its rules consistently and without exception, regardless of nationality, profile, or role in the tournament. “IRCC officers are trained decision makers who assess an individual’s eligibility and admissibility in accordance with Canadian immigration laws. If they believe that an individual could pose a security risk, they may decide to deny them entry.” The seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault will be tried at Southwark Crown Court, London. The trial was originally scheduled for November, but may now be delayed until early 2027. Under the conditions of his bail, Partey is obliged to notify authorities of any plans to travel abroad. The initial six charges, which relate to three women, are alleged to have taken place in 2021 and 2022. Detectives at the Metropolitan Police began their investigation into Partey in February 2022 when they received a report of alleged rape. The two further charges relate to a fourth woman after a separate report of non-recent offences in 2020, following a new investigation by the Met. These allegations were first reported to police in August 2025.