Thomas Partey Denied Visa, Ghana Misses Panama Opener

ghana will be without Thomas Partey for its World Cup opener against Panama next week after Canada denied the midfielder a visa. The decision removes the 32-year-old from Ghana’s first Group L match, even though he remains part of the squad in Boston and can still feature later in the tournament.

Ghana’s protest on Saturday

Ghana’s government said on Saturday that the decision was “high-handed and extremely unfair.” Its foreign ministry said it had already sent an official note of protest on Thursday asking Canada to review the case.

The ministry said it understood the refusal was tied to pending criminal proceedings in Britain. Partey, a former Arsenal midfielder who now plays for Villarreal, faces allegations of rape and sexual assault in Britain and has denied the charges.

Canada cites immigration rules

On Friday, a spokesperson for Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said, “Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.” That leaves Ghana’s complaint aimed at the individual decision, not the tournament itself.

FIFA said it was not involved in the immigration processes of host countries. The World Cup is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, and the visa dispute has already reached beyond Ghana’s squad after the United States refused entry this week to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been due to officiate at the tournament.

Boston and Philadelphia remain open

Partey is with the rest of the Ghana squad in Boston, and he will be eligible for Ghana’s subsequent Group L matches against England in Boston and Croatia in Philadelphia. For Ghana, the immediate loss is the Panama game; for Partey, the route back into the tournament stays open once the team moves on from its opening fixture.