Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his country’s World Cup opener against Panama on Thursday after Canadian authorities blocked his entry, citing false information in his visa application linked to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
The decision also followed a rejected emergency appeal by the Ghanaian government in a federal court in Ottawa, leaving the team without one of its most experienced players for the match in Toronto.
Officials in Canada denied Partey entry because he had wrongly stated he had never been arrested or charged with a crime, despite facing active legal proceedings in the UK.
The matter escalated when Ghana sought special permission for him to enter the country briefly for the fixture, but the request was dismissed by the federal court in Ottawa, which found no basis to overturn the initial immigration decision.
The ruling stated there was "no serious issue in the underlying refusal" of the visa and added that "the applicant failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK".
Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault linked to allegations from four women covering incidents between 2020 and 2022. His trial is scheduled for next year.
In response to questions on the visa decision, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said: ''Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada's immigration laws.
"Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.''
Canadian immigration officials had earlier written to Partey raising concerns that his application may not have met the requirement to answer truthfully, referencing misrepresentation rules that can affect visa eligibility. The court also noted that immigration law allows refusal where there are reasonable grounds to believe an offence has been committed, even without a conviction.
On the wider travel issue, US customs and border protection (CBP) confirmed awareness of the case but said Partey was still allowed entry into the United States after being issued a visa. The agency stated: "The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey. However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.
"Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection. CBP defers to Canada for questions on his denial of entry."
Now with Spanish club Villarreal CF, Partey has more than 50 appearances for Ghana national football team since making his debut in 2016.
Before the tournament, head coach Carlos Queiroz said he had no concerns about selecting him, stating: "My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me.
"We are waiting for a decision. When the decision [arrives], we are ready."
Ghana are scheduled to face England in Boston on 23 June and Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June. The team could still return to Canada later in the tournament if they progress as runners-up in Group L.