A Canadian Federal Court has upheld the decision to block Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey from entering the country, ruling him out of the Black Stars’ 2026 World Cup opener against Panama on Wednesday, June 17.
The court delivered its judgment on Tuesday after Partey’s lawyers appealed a visa refusal that stopped the 33-year-old from traveling to Toronto with the rest of the squad.
Partey’s entry was denied because of ongoing criminal charges in the United Kingdom. He faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, linked to allegations by four women between 2020 and 2022. The former Arsenal player has denied all charges and is due in court for trial later this year.
The ruling leaves Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz without one of his most experienced players for the Group L match at BMO Field. The Government of Ghana criticized the decision, calling it “high-handed and extremely unfair.”
However, sources within the Ghana camp told ESPN before the verdict that Partey’s absence would not alter plans for Panama. With kickoff less than 24 hours away, the team had already set its strategy.
“The coach already had his match-day plan. Win or lose, it won’t change much for this game,” a source said.
Queiroz echoed that view when speaking to reporters on Tuesday. “My job is to work with the players I have,” he said. “We are waiting for the decision, but we are ready. We have a plan that covers all 26 players.”
Despite missing the Panama game, Partey is still expected to feature later in the tournament. Ghana face England in Boston on June 23 and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27. If the Black Stars finish second in Group L, they could return to Canada for the round of 32.