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  "path": "/2026/06/23/thomas-partey-free-play-england-despite-missing-ghanas-world-cup-opener-28878186/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-23T13:41:40.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "England men's football team",
    "Ghana football team",
    "Thomas Partey",
    "World Cup",
    "Ghana",
    "England",
    "five counts of rape",
    "two additional counts of rape",
    "Arsenal",
    "Sign up",
    "block the visa request",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Partey is available to feature against England (Picture: Getty)\n\nGhana midfielder Thomas Partey is free to play against England in the World Cup tonight despite being forced to sit out his side’s opening game against Panama last week.\n\nPartey is due to stand trial at Southwark crown court next year after being charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault last year. He was charged with two additional counts of rape in February.\n\nPartey denies all the charges against him.\n\nThe 33-year-old’s absence for Ghana’s win over Panama in Toronto was because Canadian officials refused to grant the former Arsenal player permission to enter the country.\n\n##  Don't miss a World Cup moment\n\n(Picture: Getty)\n\n\nWe're witnessing history at this World Cup – our daily newsletter helps you make the most of it. Sign up.\n\nAfter initially being rejected a visa, Partey had submitted an emergency application in an attempt to be granted entry into Canada.\n\nThe appeal was heard by a judge, who sided with the original decision to block the visa request.\n\nCourt documents have subsequently shown that Partey failed to disclose the rape and sexual assault charges against him when applying to enter Canada before the start of the tournament.\n\nPartey has won 58 caps for Ghana (Picture: Getty)\n\nA statement read out in court also revealed that Partey had pledged to be supervised by Ghanaian team officials at all times during his proposed stay in Canada.\n\nPartey will have no such issue playing against England in Boston, however, with US officials having given him a visa to enter the country.\n\nHe will also be available for selection for Ghana’s final Group L game against Croatia in Philadelphia on Saturday.\n\nBut whilst Partey is free to play in the remainder of Ghana’s group stage campaign, the same issue will arise again should they qualify for the knockout stages and one of their games is scheduled to take place in Canada.\n\nGhana boss Carlos Queiroz insisted he had no concerns over selecting Partey for the World Cup despite the serious nature of the charges against him.\n\nPartey made his name in English football playing for Arsenal (Picture: Getty)\n\n‘If the player is here with me, my answer is clear,’ Queiroz said before the tournament got underway.\n\n‘I don’t have any comments about my own decisions. He is here so what are we talking about? This is not for me or you to make a judgement about.\n\n‘Let the events run their normal course; let the river flow and one day when the river meets the ocean we are going to find the truth.’\n\n## England players to shake hands with Partey\n\nEngland players are expected to shake hands with Partey after the national anthems are played this evening.\n\nThe Football Association has not issued any guidance over the traditional pre-match gesture, meaning members of the England squad are free to shake his hand if they wish to do so.\n\nPartey, who played over 160 times for Arsenal between 2020 and 2025, featured alongside Three Lions stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice during his time in north London.\n\nPartey joined Villarreal last year as a free agent and made over 30 appearances for the Spanish side during the 2025/26 season.\n\nHe is currently without a club after Villarreal opted not to renew his contract this summer.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "Why Thomas Partey is allowed to play against England despite missing Ghana’s first World Cup game"
}