Ghana Challenges Canada Over Thomas Partey Visa Refusal

Ghana has taken the extraordinary step of challenging Canada in court after midfielder Thomas Partey was denied a visa and ruled out of the Black Stars’ World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto.

Partey, 33, has been refused entry because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK, leaving Ghana without one of its most experienced players for Wednesday’s game. The match will go ahead in Toronto, but without the former Arsenal midfielder on the pitch or even in the country.

The dispute has now moved from the dressing room to the courtroom.

A hearing is scheduled for 14:00 BST (09:00 Eastern Time) in Ottawa, where Ghana’s government has filed for a review of the Canadian authorities’ decision. Officials in Accra have described the refusal as “high-handed and extremely unfair” and are pushing for a narrow, time‑limited solution: permission for Partey to enter Canada briefly, solely to take part in the national team fixture.

The legal backdrop is stark. Partey has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022. He is due to stand trial in the UK next year. Those proceedings, and the seriousness of the charges, underpin Canada’s stance on his entry.

Ghana is not backing down. In its court filing, the government is not only asking for temporary clearance for Partey but also wants the judge to instruct Canadian immigration authorities to allow him to submit a fresh visa application.

Away from the legal arguments, the diplomatic machinery is whirring. Ghana’s foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has confirmed that the country is also exploring diplomatic channels in an attempt to secure a Canadian visa for the midfielder, who remains a central figure in the national side despite his legal troubles.

For now, Ghana waits. The team prepares for Panama in Toronto while one of its biggest names sits outside the country’s borders, his immediate international future hinging on a courtroom in Ottawa and a ruling whose timing no one can yet predict.