Thomas Partey breaks silence on missing World Cup opener after being denied entry into Canada
Thomas Partey has spoken out for the first time since being denied entry into Canada for Ghana's opening World Cup fixture.
Partey, 33, was unavailable for Ghana's opening World Cup victory over Panama on 18 June as he was denied a visa to gain entry into Canada due to ongoing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
Last July, the former Arsenal midfielder was charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in London between 2020 and 2022.
Partey has denied all the charges and is set to stand trial on 7 June 2027, at Southwark Crown Court.
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Now playing for Villarreal in Spain, Partey was called up by Ghana for the 2026 World Cup but was blocked from entering Canada after charges against him were not declared on his visa application, which emerged after Ghanaian officials had appealed the initial decision. The appeal was denied.
He has been granted entry in the United States of America and is expected to play against England in Boston on Tuesday (23 June).
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, on Monday (22 June), Partey was asked if he was 'eager' to face Thomas Tuchel's side.
"I think for me now it's part of football," Partey said.
"Things happen outside football that you cannot control but for me now I feel OK and I am ready to play."
Partey 'happy to see' former Arsenal teammates again
Partey departed Arsenal in 2025 and was asked if he was looking forward to seeing his former teammates Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
He said: "I'm really happy to see them again.
"I hope they are going to bring their best and try to give ourselves also the opportunity to play against the best and try to compete and enjoy the game."
"I know it's not going to be easy," Partey added on facing Rice in a midfield battle. "[They have] very good players and I am happy to play against them."
As reported by the Daily Mail, it's not yet clear if England's players will shake hands with Partey as part of the pre-match protocol, with the FA not speaking to the players about the decision and instead focusing solely on football.
Last week, the US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement: "The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey.
"However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa."
Ahead of Tuesday's game, Ghana's head coach, Carlos Queiroz, said his team was 'fully motivated'.
"This is the easiest type of match, because when you're about to play against England, France or Germany, you don't need to say anything to the players," he declared.
"Everybody is fully switched on and everybody wants to perform well."
Daniel Murphy