Thomas Partey’s absence from Ghana’s opening World Cup match against Panama may not be the only game he misses. The midfielder could also miss more matches in Canada depending on how far the Black Stars go in the tournament.
Partey was denied entry into Canada after his visa application was rejected by Canadian authorities. This means he will miss Ghana’s Group L opener against Panama at BMO Field in Toronto on June 17.
Although he can still play in Ghana’s other group matches against England in Boston and Croatia in Philadelphia, his involvement later in the tournament could be affected if Ghana reach the knockout stage and have to play in Canada.
How Partey could miss more matches
Under the 2026 World Cup format, Ghana could return to Canada in the knockout rounds:
If Ghana finish second in Group L, they would play their Round of 32 match in Toronto. This would mean Partey could not play.
If Ghana finish as one of the best third-placed teams and win their Round of 32 match, they would play their Round of 16 match in Vancouver. Partey would also be unable to play in that game.
This means the 32-year-old midfielder would only be available for matches played in the United States. Any knockout match held in Canada would keep him out of the team.
A big setback for Ghana
The visa issue has already forced coach Carlos Queiroz to change his plans for the Panama match, with young midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi among the players expected to step in.
If Ghana perform well and progress deep into the tournament, Partey’s availability could become an ongoing problem for the team.
Partey is currently on trial in the United Kingdom after being charged with several counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
He has denied all the charges. Neither FIFA nor the Canadian government has given the exact reason for the visa refusal, although Canadian immigration rules allow authorities to refuse entry based on criminal charges.
Ghana begin their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 before playing England and Croatia. What happens after the group stage is still unknown, but Partey’s limited availability adds another challenge to Ghana’s hopes of doing well at the tournament.
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