Canada Bars Thomas Partey, 32, From Ghana's June 17 World Cup Opener

Q: Why can a World Cup star play in the US but is banned from Canada over the same criminal charges?

Because the U.S. and Canada apply different immigration laws and different levels of discretion to non-citizens facing serious criminal allegations. In Partey’s case, the key fact is that he has been charged, but not convicted, and he denies the allegations. U.S. authorities appear to have allowed him in after a broader, case-by-case assessment. Under U.S. visa rules, allegations tied to serious offenses can trigger scrutiny, but officials still have room to approve entry, especially where there is no conviction and the traveler is entering for a major international event. Canada’s system is often stricter on “admissibility.” Its immigration authorities can refuse entry if they believe an applicant raises criminality or public-safety concerns, and they are not required to follow FIFA’s sporting priorities. FIFA itself has said host governments alone decide who gets a visa. In practice, that means Canada can deny entry even when another host country allows it. So the difference is not that the charges changed; it is that the legal threshold and official discretion changed at the border. The U.S. approved Partey’s visa despite the pending case, while Canada decided the same allegations were enough to refuse him entry. This is also a broader World Cup issue. Co-hosting does not create a single immigration regime, and players, staff and fans can face different outcomes in each host country depending on local visa law, waivers and admissibility rules.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 12

FIFA said Thomas Partey cannot travel from Ghana’s Boston base to Toronto for Wednesday’s World Cup opener against Panama after Canada refused his visa application.
Seven rape charges are hanging over the 32-year-old former Arsenal midfielder, now with Villarreal; he has pleaded not guilty, and FIFA said host governments alone decide visas and entry.
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz had still selected Partey, citing the presumption of innocence and criticizing snap judgments on social media while the case proceeds.
Ghana next faces England on June 23 at Gillette Stadium and closes group play on June 27 in Philadelphia, with Partey’s availability now dependent on host-country entry rules.