Former Arsenal and current Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has been granted a visa to enter Canada after an Ottawa court overturned an earlier decision that had denied him entry ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The ruling follows diplomatic and legal escalation from the Ghanaian government and the Ghana Football Association, which had protested the denial as unfair. They filed an emergency interlocutory injunction at the Federal Court of Canada seeking a review of the decision.
After the Ottawa court reviewed the case on Tuesday, the initial decision was reversed, allowing Partey to travel and join the Ghana national team.
Canadian immigration authorities had originally refused his Temporary Resident Visa due to pending sexual assault charges in the United Kingdom, in which he has pleaded not guilty.
The ruling now clears the midfielder to link up with the Black Stars for their Group L opener against Panama on Wednesday. His availability is a major boost for Ghana, who face a challenging group that also includes England and Croatia.