A Federal High Court in Canada has upheld the decision to deny Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey entry into the country ahead of the Black Stars’ 2026 FIFA World Cup opening game against Panama on Wednesday, June 17.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday following an appeal hearing in which Partey’s legal team sought to overturn the visa refusal that had prevented the former Arsenal midfielder from travelling to Toronto with the rest of the Ghana squad.
The 33-year-old’s visa issues are due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK involving seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022. Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges, with a trial scheduled for later this year.
However, the court’s decision means Partey remains unable to enter Canada, dealing a significant blow to the Black Stars on the eve of their opening Group L match against Panama.
The Ghana international had received support from the Government of Ghana, which labelled the decision “high-handed and extremely unfair.”
The midfielder’s absence leaves head coach Carlos Queiroz without one of his most experienced players for Wednesday’s clash against Panama at BMO Field, although sources at Ghana told ESPN ahead of the verdict that with just one day to go till kickoff, a favourable decision would not have made much of a difference.
“The coach already had his match-day strategy worked out. Win or lose, it would not have changed much for this game,” a source told ESPN.
Asked about the issue on Tuesday, Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz echoed the same sentiment.
“My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me,” he told reporters. “We are waiting for a decision. When the decision comes, we are ready.
“We have a plan, and it includes all 26 players.”
Partey is still expected to play a key role for the four-time African champions as they navigate their two other pool games against England in Boston on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.
They could potentially return to Canada for the round of 32 if they finish as runners-up in