Thomas Partey Named in Ghana’s 26-Man Squad Despite Charges
Ghana named thomas partey in its 26-man World Cup squad despite the midfielder facing rape and sexual assault charges in the United Kingdom. The decision keeps him in line for a place in the tournament plans while his case moves toward trial in London.
Ghana Squad Put Partey Back In
Ghana published the squad in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and Partey was in it. The timing mattered because Ghana was due to play Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday evening, putting the selection in front of the team’s final pre-tournament check before the World Cup.
Partey’s case is built around eight charges in total: seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The trial will be heard at Southwark Crown Court in London, and the original November date may now slip into early 2027.
Partey’s Court Case And Bail
The midfielder was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on July 5, 2025, then faced two new counts of rape in February this year. He pleaded not guilty to the original charges in September and to the two new rape charges in April.
Under his bail conditions, Partey must notify authorities of any plans to travel abroad. That leaves Ghana’s World Cup build-up tied to more than football: his availability sits alongside visa requirements, with the United States saying anyone who has ever been arrested, cautioned or convicted of an offense anywhere in the world must declare it when applying for a visa.
Arsenal Exit, Villarreal Move
Partey left Arsenal when his contract expired on June 30, 2025, and signed for Villarreal on a free transfer. He made 35 Premier League appearances for Arsenal in the 2024-25 season and has played 31 times for Villarreal this season, staying active while the case has continued.
He had already been used by Ghana in five of six World Cup qualifying matches last year, spending the other one on the bench. Two of those qualifying games came before his first charges were announced, and three arrived in September and October.
Ghana will be based in Providence, Rhode Island, during the World Cup, with group-stage matches in Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia. For the squad announced on Tuesday, Partey’s inclusion keeps one of the team’s most experienced midfielders in the frame even as the legal process in London continues.
