Yomi Kuku, Toronto, Canada
Thomas Partey’s hopes of playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada have been extinguished after a Canadian Federal Court upheld the government’s decision to deny the Ghana midfielder entry into the country, ending a legal battle that has dominated headlines throughout the opening week of the tournament.
The ruling means Partey will play no part in Ghana’s Group L fixture against Panama in Toronto and will not be eligible for any future World Cup matches staged on Canadian soil unless immigration authorities reverse their position. Reuters reported that Federal Court Judge Roger Lafreniere rejected an application seeking urgent relief that would have allowed the midfielder to enter Canada while broader proceedings continued.
The case stems from Canada’s immigration laws governing inadmissibility. Immigration authorities determined that Partey was not eligible for entry because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom, where the former Arsenal and current Villarreal midfielder faces multiple charges of rape and sexual assault. Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges and no conviction has been recorded.
Under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, authorities may refuse entry to foreign nationals when there are reasonable grounds to believe they may be inadmissible because of serious criminal matters, even when those cases have not yet resulted in convictions. Canadian officials have repeatedly stressed that hosting the World Cup does not alter the country’s immigration laws or admissibility standards.
The decision has created a striking contrast with the United States, which granted Partey entry for Ghana’s training camp in Rhode Island. U.S. authorities confirmed that he was admitted after undergoing the standard visa and border review process, while emphasizing that admissibility decisions are determined independently by each country.
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