Thomas Partey Set to Miss Ghana World Cup Squad Opener After Appeal Rejected
Thomas Partey will miss Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama after his visa appeal was rejected in Canada. The Ghana midfielder was denied entry before Wednesday’s match in Toronto because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK. The decision leaves the Ghana World Cup squad without one of its most experienced players for the first game.
Ottawa Ruling on Partey
A federal court in Ottawa rejected Ghana’s appeal for him to enter Canada briefly for the match. The ruling said there was no serious issue in the underlying refusal of the visa, and that the applicant failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK.
Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault. The allegations relate to four different women between 2020 and 2022, and he is scheduled to stand trial next year. That court decision stopped Ghana from getting a short-term entry approval for a player it wanted available only for the opener.
Queiroz Plans Without Partey
Carlos Queiroz had no qualms over selecting Partey before the tournament. On Tuesday, he said, “My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me.” He also said, “We are waiting for a decision. When the decision [arrives], we are ready.”
Partey has played more than 50 times for Ghana and made his debut in June 2016. He also represented Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Losing him now changes the immediate shape of the squad for a match that comes before two more group games in the United States.
Ghana’s Schedule After Toronto
Ghana are scheduled to play England in Boston on 23 June and Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada's immigration laws, and that every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually based on the facts available and the law that applies.
For Ghana, the ruling means the opener against Panama goes ahead without Partey, and the team must move on quickly to the next two matches on the calendar.
