Why is Thomas Partey allowed to play against England at the World Cup while charged with rape?

Thomas Partey will make his first appearance at World Cup 2026 when Ghana play against England on Tuesday. Partey was refused entry to Canada forcing him to miss Ghana’s opening match in Toronto, and he could be booed by spectators when he finally takes to the field in Boston.

The former Arsenal midfielder has been charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London’s Metropolitan Police and is awaiting trial. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Ghana played Panama in their first game of the tournament, winning 1-0. The team and staff members travelled over the US-Canada border from their base in Rhode Island, but Partey was denied a visa and stayed behind.

Under Canadian law, foreign nationals can be found inadmissible ⁠even without a conviction. Court documents also revealed that Partey’s application for a temporary resident visa, submitted in May, did not disclose his criminal charges, falsely answering “no” to a question about whether he had “ever committed, been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of any criminal offence in any country”.

Partey’s lawyers sought an emergency appeal, which was rejected by the Federal Court in Ottawa.

At the time, Fifa said in a statement: “FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp ... to Canada for their first match against Panama ... as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government.

“FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”

Partey, left, in training with his Ghana teammates at Bryant University, Smithfield (PA)

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said: “Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians. Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.

“Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.”

However Partey, who now plays for Spanish club Villarreal, was granted a US visa before the tournament and will be eligible to play against England, and against Croatia in Philadelphia on 27 June.

Speaking to the media after training this week, Partey said: “I think for me now it’s part of football. Things happen outside football that you cannot control, but for me now I feel OK and I am ready to play.”

It is one of the uncomfortable truths about this World Cup that so many playing staff and spectators have been denied visas or have been held up in their efforts to enter the US, extending to the respected Somali referee Omar Artan on grounds of an alleged “association with suspected members of terror organisations”, evidence for which has not been shared by either the US border force or Fifa. And yet two players facing trial over rape allegations have had no trouble arriving to play in America.

The second is Morocco’s captain Achraf Hakimi, who is due to face trial over allegations of rape. He denies wrongdoing. Hours before kick-off in Morocco’s second match of the tournament, against Scotland in Boston, a French appeals court confirmed that Hakimi will stand trial in the rape case. Hakimi was loudly booed by Scotland fans every time he touched the ball, and Partey may receive a similar reception.

Achraf Hakimi in action against Scotland during the World Cup (Getty)

Whether the England players shake hands with Partey before kick-off, as is the common pre-match ritual between teams, remains to be seen. The Football Association has given no guidance to players over the issue and will leave it to their discretion.

On coming up against his former Arsenal teammates Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, Partey said: “I’m really happy to see them again. I hope they are going to bring their best and try to give ourselves also the opportunity to play against the best and try to compete and enjoy the game.”

Partey was first arrested in July 2022, but he was not charged and continued to represent Arsenal until his contract expired at the end of the 2024-25 season. Days later, he was charged by police.

There have been other notable incidents involving sexual assault allegations among Premier League players in recent years.

Manchester City suspended Benjamin Mendy and stopped paying his wages after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in 2021, and he was put under a precautionary suspension by the Football Association. He was acquitted of the charges at trial and the FA found no grounds for misconduct.

Mendy later won around £8.5m from City after a judge ruled the club had wrongly stopped his pay. The defender now plays for Polish side Pogon Szczecin.

Manchester United suspended Mason Greenwood after he was arrested in 2022. He was later charged with attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. However, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case when key witnesses withdrew their involvement. Greenwood has continued his career at Marseille.