Thomas Partey BANNED from entering Canada and will miss Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama

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The former Arsenal midfielder has been denied a visa by the Canadian government

Thomas Partey
Thomas Partey will miss Ghana's World Cup opener in Toronto (Image credit: Getty Images)

Thomas Partey has been banned from entering Canada and will miss Ghana’s first World Cup game in Toronto against Panama.

Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.

He is due to stand trial next year.

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In a statement, FIFA confirmed the former Villarreal midfielder - who played for Arsenal between 2020 and 2025 - will be unable to travel from Ghana's training base in Boston after having his "visa application was refused by the Canadian government".

World football's governing body, added: "FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas.

"The host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country."

James Andrew
James Andrew
Editor

James Andrew is the editor of FourFourTwo, overseeing both the magazine and website. James is an NCTJ qualified journalist and began his career as a news reporter in regional newspapers in 2006 before moving into sport a year later. In 2011 he started a six year stint on the sports desk at the Daily Mail and MailOnline. James was appointed editor of FourFourTwo in December 2019. Across his career James has interviewed the likes of Franco Baresi, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham and Michael Owen. James has been a Fulham season ticket holder since the mid-1990s and enjoys watching them home and away, through promotion and relegation.

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