Ghana Challenges Canada’s Decision to Block Thomas Partey Before FIFA World Cup Match

The Ghanaian government stated in a statement that denying entry based solely on allegations without a final court decision against an individual violates the principles of fairness and justice. "While respecting Canada's sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, Ghana believes that taking action based solely on allegations without a judicial decision raises serious questions about fairness and proportionality," the government said.

However, per FIFA, Thomas Partey cannot move from the Ghana base at Boston to Canada since his visa was denied by the Canadian authorities. Therefore, he will miss the first Group L match between Ghana and Panama. He is currently with the Ghana squad in America and can be expected to take part in the remaining matches in the group stage, where they play against England and Croatia.

The issue that Thomas Partey faces regarding his travel documents is one more example of problems arising with travel documentation during FIFA World Cup 2026. Among those who experienced visa-related troubles are Omar Artan, Ayman Hussein, Talal Salah, Woudencky Pierre, and Breel Embolo.