Thomas Partey’s appeal rejected by Canadian Court. No World Cup opener for the midfielder

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will be unable to feature for the Black Stars after a Canadian Federal Court judge upheld the decision to deny him entry into the country ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening fixture against Panama on Wednesday.

The much-anticipated ruling was made on Tuesday following a hearing where Partey’s representatives filed an appeal to overturn the initial decision by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to deny the former Arsenal star entry into Canada.

The court’s decision indicates that the 33-year-old remains unavailable for selection as he cannot enter Canada—a decision that will hugely affect the Ghana team on the eve of their first game against Panama.

Partey’s visa application was rejected by Canadian authorities due to ongoing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom.

The midfielder has been charged with seven counts of rape and one count of assault involving four women over alleged incidents said to have occurred between 2020 and 2022.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, with a trial scheduled for later this year.

Partey was hopeful of receiving a favorable ruling following tremendous support from both the Government of Ghana and the country’s diplomatic representatives in Canada.