Thomas Partey will not play in Ghana's opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Panama. The Canadian government denied his visa application, making it impossible for him to travel from Ghana's team base in Boston to Toronto for the Group L fixture on June 17. FIFA confirmed the news on Friday, June 12.
FIFA was direct about where the responsibility sits: host governments make immigration decisions independently, and the governing body has no role in the process. In a statement, FIFA said the Canadian government "ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country," adding that this is consistent with how things have worked at previous FIFA tournaments.
The 32-year-old midfielder is still eligible to feature in Ghana's remaining group-stage games on American soil, which include matches against England and Croatia. So this is not the end of his World Cup entirely, but missing the opener is a significant blow for both Partey and the Black Stars.
Reports suggest the visa refusal may be connected to ongoing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom, where Partey has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. Canadian authorities have not publicly explained their decision. How Ghana sets up without him against Panama on Wednesday will be the first real test of how the team absorbs the absence.
Originally published by NotJustOk.