Partey loses appeal, will miss World Cup match against Panama
Ghana's Thomas Partey has lost his appeal against a Canadian entry ban and will not play in the World Cup opener against Panama.
Ghana international Thomas Partey will be absent from the team's World Cup opener against Panama after a Canadian court rejected his appeal against an entry ban. The midfielder was denied permission to enter Canada due to multiple sexual assault charges.
In July 2025, London police charged Partey with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The trial was originally scheduled for November 2025 but has been postponed to June 8, 2027. Partey maintains his innocence and states that he faces no charges in any other country.
Because of these charges, Canadian authorities refused Partey entry for the World Cup match, which takes place in the early hours of Thursday. Following the initial denial, Partey and Ghanaian officials filed an appeal, but it was unsuccessful. As a result, the Villarreal midfielder will definitely miss the crucial group-stage game against Panama.
