FIFA World Cup: Thomas Partey loses appeal for Canadian visa
What's the story
Thomas Partey, the Ghanaian midfielder, saw a Canadian court dismiss an appeal after he was denied entry into the country for his team's game against Panama at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Recently, he was entry into Canada ahead of his team's World Cup opener. The Canadian government rejected a visa application for the 33-year-old. In response, his legal team filed an emergency appeal with Canada's Federal Court in Ottawa. However, this appeal was dismissed by Judge Roger Lafreniere.
Court ruling
Judge's statement on Partey's appeal dismissal
Judge Lafreniere dismissed Partey's appeal, saying he sought "extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief" that would have required Canada to "set aside a 'lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding and facilitate his entry for a specific event.'" The ruling comes just ahead of Ghana's Group L match against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday. Despite the setback, Partey's lawyer Mackeda Bramwell had expressed hope for a positive outcome before the verdict was announced.
Ongoing issues
Partey facing allegations of rape and sexual assault
Along with the visa denial, Former Arsenal midfielder Partey is also facing allegations of rape and sexual assault in Britain. He has denied these charges. While the US government has issued a visa to him, Canada's immigration officials have said that under their law, foreign nationals can be deemed inadmissible even without a foreign conviction. This was part of the reason behind Canada denying his entry for the World Cup match against Panama.
Charges
More on Partey's rape charges
Partey, who moved from Arsenal to Villarreal in June 2025, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025. The charges relate to incidents that occurred in 2021 and 2022. In February this year, he was hit with two more counts of rape relating to December 2020. Despite the serious allegations, Partey has consistently pleaded not guilty.
Upcoming games
What next for Partey?
Despite missing out on the opener against Panama, Partey could still play in Ghana's next two Group L fixtures. These are against England at Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 23 and Croatia at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on June 27. The player has been a key part of Ghana's national team since his debut in 2016, scoring 16 goals in 58 international appearances.