Did the BBC cut away from controversial Thomas Partey handshakes during England vs Ghana?

Much has been made of Thomas Partey's inclusion in the Ghana starting line-up to face England in the Group L clash, but one uncomfortable moment was avoided in the live broadcast.

Partey missed Ghana's first game of the World Cup 2026 after failing to obtain a visa. His initial request for entry to Canada was denied after his application claimed there were no criminal charges against him.

The former Arsenal man has been granted permission to play against England, but did the Three Lions players shake his hand prior to the game?

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England vs Ghana broadcast avoided Thomas Partey handshake moment

There had been much talk about whether Partey would be snubbed by the England players, with the FA even said to be considering taking a stance on the matter.

In the end, they didn't intervene, and we now know that some of the England players, including Harry Kane, did shake Partey's hand before kick-off.

Based on clips circulating on social media, it would appear that Djed Spence was actually the only England player to snub Partey during the handshakes.

Ezri Konsa against Ghana (Image credit: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

However, you would have missed that if you were watching England vs Ghana on BBC, as the footage cut away from the players just as the Ghanain was about to appear on-screen.

Fans were confused as to why this might have happened, with claims that the BBC had made the decision to avoid the controversial moment. However, that is not quite the case.

Match coverage from events like the World Cup is largely dictated by a centralised 'world feed' which is carried out by Host Broadcast Services (HBS).

They have roughly 45 cameras in the stadium focusing on players, coaches, and key moments on the pitch.

This is then fed back to broadcasters like the BBC for your viewing, leaving little room for editing or censorship of any kind.

Thomas Partey in action for Ghana (Image credit: Getty Images)

While the BBC can dictate the pre-match build-up, half-time and full-time analysis segments, and the commentary, it's almost certain that the British TV channel did not cut the feed during the Partey handshake.

HBS have a match director sitting in the stands who decides what is noteworthy enough to point the camera at and include in the feed, and the assumption is that they deemed it inappropriate to show Partey during that moment.

The Villarreal midfielder is set to go on trial in 2027 for charges of rape and sexual assault, with five counts currently against his name. Partey has pleaded not guilty to the charges.