OTTAWA — Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has been denied entry into Canada and will miss his country's opening FIFA World Cup match against Panama in Toronto next week.FIFA confirmed Friday that Partey's visa application had been refused by the Canadian government, preventing him from travelling from Ghana's training base in Boston to Canada for the June 17 match.“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, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” the organization said in a statement.“FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”Neither FIFA nor Canadian officials publicly disclosed the reason for the visa refusal..Partey, 32, is a former Arsenal midfielder who now plays for Spanish club Villarreal and remains one of Ghana's most prominent international players.The midfielder is currently facing seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in the United Kingdom involving four women.The allegations relate to incidents alleged to have occurred between 2020 and 2022.Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denies the allegations.His trial is scheduled to begin in June 2027. He is currently on bail in the United Kingdom and has continued his professional football career while awaiting trial.Canada's immigration laws allow foreign nationals to be denied entry under certain circumstances involving criminal allegations or charges abroad.The federal government has not indicated whether Partey's legal situation played a role in the visa decision.The decision means Partey will be unavailable for Ghana's opening World Cup match against Panama in Toronto.
