Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss the Black
Stars’ opening Group L match against Panama on June 17 after the Canadian
government denied his visa application.
In a statement, FIFA confirmed that Partey would be
unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, United States, to
Canada for the fixture. The world football governing body noted that it does
not play any role in the immigration decisions of host nations.
“FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be
unable to travel from Ghana’s Team Base Camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for
their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application
has been refused by the Canadian government,” the statement read.
FIFA further explained that visa approvals remain the
responsibility of host governments, which have the final authority over who is
granted entry into their countries.
Despite missing the Panama encounter, Partey is
expected to be available for Ghana’s remaining Group L matches against England
and Croatia, both of which are scheduled to be played in the United States.
The 32-year-old Villarreal midfielder is currently
facing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom. He has pleaded not guilty to
seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault linked to allegations made
by four women between 2020 and 2022. His trial is expected to begin next year.
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