Ghana is scheduled to play its first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, June 18, against Panama in Group L, the tournament’s final group.
The Ghana national team, one of Africa’s representatives at the World Cup, has been holding training sessions in the United States and plans to travel to Atlanta as the match approaches.
Among the players initially cleared to travel to Canada, Partey was excluded after immigration authorities reportedly found that his documents indicated he was facing legal proceedings, leading to the refusal of his entry visa.
Partey, who plays for Villarreal CF, appealed the decision, arguing that the allegations against him had not been proven in court and that he had previously been cleared in earlier accusations.
The Ghanaian midfielder, considered one of the key players for his national team, has faced allegations involving five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
In September 2025, he appeared before Southwark Crown Court in London, where he denied all allegations and stated that some of the names and dates of birth listed in the case were incorrect.
In February 2026, two additional women joined the case, alleging that Partey had sexually assaulted them in 2020. This brought the total number of women accusing him to four.
Ghana’s other World Cup group matches, against England and Croatia, are scheduled to be played in the United States in Boston and Philadelphia.
