World Cup
Ghana misses Parti in first match
June 13, 2026 · TaegeukGoal
Ghana will have to play without Thomas Parti in their first World Cup match. This is because his visa application was rejected.
Ghana will have to play without Thomas Parti in their first World Cup match. The FC Villarreal midfielder has been banned from entering Canada. Parti is included in the 26-man squad for the Ghana national team, but will be unavailable for the first match against Panama at 1am on Wednesday.
"FIFA confirms that Thomas Parti will be unable to travel to Canada from the Ghana team's base in Boston, USA to play the first match against Panama on Wednesday, June 17. His visa application has been rejected by the Canadian government," FIFA said in an official statement.
The reason behind the visa refusal was that Parti was accused of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by several women in London in July 2025. The incidents occurred in 2021 and 2022, and Parti was with Arsenal at the time. In February this year, two further rape charges were filed against him, and he has pleaded not guilty to both. The next hearing on the current charges is scheduled for October, and a ruling could come as early as mid-2027.
The Canadian government's website states: "If you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may be denied entry into Canada." However, Parti was denied entry even though he had no convictions. Immigration and Control Canada (IRCC) declined to comment on individual cases, but said: "The safety of Canadians is our top priority when welcoming FIFA World Cup participants and visitors from around the world. Therefore, IRCC applies its rules consistently regardless of nationality, profile or role."
Parti is expected to rejoin the team after the match against Panama. Ghana's other group matches will all be played in the United States, where they will face England in Boston (June 23, 10 p.m.) and Croatia in Philadelphia (June 27). Parti is a key player for the national team as a defensive midfielder and has gained international experience in a total of 57 games. He also started in all group stage matches at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The reason behind the visa refusal was that Parti was accused of five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by several women in London in July 2025. The incidents occurred in 2021 and 2022, and Parti was with Arsenal at the time. In February this year, two further rape charges were filed against him, and he has pleaded not guilty to both. The next hearing on the current charges is scheduled for October, and a ruling could come as early as mid-2027.
The Canadian government's website states: "If you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may be denied entry into Canada." However, Parti was denied entry even though he had no convictions. Immigration and Control Canada (IRCC) declined to comment on individual cases, but said: "The safety of Canadians is our top priority when welcoming FIFA World Cup participants and visitors from around the world. Therefore, IRCC applies its rules consistently regardless of nationality, profile or role."
Parti is expected to rejoin the team after the match against Panama. Ghana's other group matches will all be played in the United States, where they will face England in Boston (June 23, 10 p.m.) and Croatia in Philadelphia (June 27). Parti is a key player for the national team as a defensive midfielder and has gained international experience in a total of 57 games. He also started in all group stage matches at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.