.Thomas Partey has been ruled out of Ghana’s opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a Canadian court dismissed his emergency appeal against a decision refusing him entry into the country.
The ruling, delivered in Ottawa on Tuesday, upholds the earlier immigration decision that denied Partey a Temporary Resident Visa. As a result, the Black Stars will be without one of their key midfielders when they face Panama in their Group L opener in Toronto on Wednesday.
Partey had challenged the refusal, arguing that the decision should be overturned to allow him to join the national team for the tournament’s opening fixture. However, Canadian immigration authorities maintained that he was deemed inadmissible due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
During the hearing, lawyers representing the Canadian government argued that no special exemptions should be made based on a player’s professional status. They stated that Canada’s immigration rules apply equally to all applicants and that a criminal conviction is not required for authorities to deny entry.
Government lawyers also added that relevant details linked to the allegations involving the midfielder had not been fully disclosed during the visa application process.
They further rejected arguments that his absence would cause irreparable sporting harm, noting there was no guarantee he would have started in the match against Panama.
