Ghana hit out at Thomas Partey visa denial labelling move as 'extremely unfair'

Ghana's Government have hit out at Thomas Partey's visa being denied, labelling the move as "high-handed and extremely unfair".

The 32-year-old, who faces trial on seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court, had his visa application rejected by Canadian authorities.

Ghana's foreign ministry announced it sent an official note of protest on Thursday, asking Canada to review its decision.

A statement read: "The Government of the Republic of Ghana expresses strong reservations following the high-handed and extremely unfair decision by Canada.

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"While respecting Canada's sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, Ghana considers that reliance on unproven charges in the absence of a judicial determination raises fundamental questions of fairness and proportionality."

A spokesman for Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) said the country has been consistent major sporting events do not change its immigration laws.

"Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies," the spokesman said.

Ghana's tournament begins at BMO Field in Toronto on June 17, but their former Arsenal star will be forced to watch from afar.

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Partey arrived in the United States with his national team on June 4 and has been training at their Rhode Island base camp ahead of the competition.

The Metropolitan Police initially charged Partey with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025, relating to alleged offences against three women between 2021 and 2022.

He entered not guilty pleas to those charges in September of that year.

Two additional rape counts were brought against him in February 2026, stemming from a separate investigation into alleged incidents in 2020 involving a fourth woman.

Partey pleaded not guilty to these further charges in April.

The trial, originally scheduled for November, may now be postponed until early 2027.

Under his bail conditions, the midfielder must inform authorities before travelling abroad.

Fifa confirmed the visa refusal in a statement, explaining: "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, June 17, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian Government."

The governing body emphasised it plays no role in host nations' immigration processes, noting Governments ultimately determine who receives entry.

Canadian immigration authorities stated safety remains their priority when welcoming World Cup participants.

The IRCC noted officers may deny entry to individuals deemed a potential security risk, applying rules consistently regardless of profile or nationality.

Following the Panama fixture, Ghana face England at Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 23 before concluding their Group L campaign against Croatia at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on June 27.

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