Ghana Challenges Canada Over Thomas Partey Visa Denial

Ghana’s World Cup plans have been dragged into a courtroom in Ottawa, as the government challenges Canada’s refusal to grant midfielder Thomas Partey a visa.

The 33-year-old is set to miss Ghana’s World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday after being denied entry, a decision Accra has condemned as “high-handed and extremely unfair.”

Instead of preparing on the training pitch, Partey’s fate will be argued before a judge at 14:00 BST (09:00 Eastern Time) in the Canadian capital, with Ghana pushing for a last-minute reprieve that would allow their star to enter the country briefly to play.

At the heart of the case lie ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK. Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022. He is due to stand trial next year.

Those charges, and the looming court date in Britain, underpin Canada’s decision to block his visa. Ghana is now asking the court not only to permit temporary entry for the former Arsenal midfielder, but also to order Canadian immigration authorities to let him submit a fresh visa application.

The stakes are high for more than just one match. Partey remains a central figure for Ghana, a leader in the dressing room and a tactical pivot on the pitch. His absence in Toronto strips the team of experience and control in midfield on a global stage where margins are thin and narratives are unforgiving.

Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has made clear that the legal route is only one front in a wider push. He says the country is also pursuing diplomatic channels in an effort to secure clearance for Partey, with time rapidly running out before kick-off.

How long the court proceedings will take is unknown. So Ghana waits, caught between the rhythms of a World Cup build-up and the slower, unforgiving tempo of the legal system, as a judge in Ottawa weighs a decision that could reshape their opening night in Toronto.