The Government of Ghana has formally protested Canada’s decision to deny a temporary residence visa to Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey, describing the move as unfair and based on unproven allegations.
The dispute comes just days before Ghana’s opening FIFA World Cup fixture against Panama on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, raising concerns over the player’s availability for the tournament.
In a press release issued on Saturday, June 13, 2026, Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had already begun diplomatic and legal efforts to have the decision reviewed. The ministry confirmed that an official note of protest was sent to Global Affairs Canada on June 11, 2026.
According to the statement, the visa refusal was communicated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada under Paragraph A36(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, citing grounds related to pending criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
However, the Ghanaian government strongly rejected the justification, arguing that the allegations remain unproven and have not resulted in any conviction or judicial finding of guilt.
“While respecting Canada’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, Ghana considers that reliance on unproven charges in the absence of a judicial determination raises fundamental questions of fairness and proportionality,” the ministry said.
The statement further emphasized that the decision undermines the principle of presumption of innocence, which it described as a cornerstone of justice in democratic societies.
