Ghana’s government has pledged to challenge Canada’s decision to deny midfielder Thomas Partey entry ahead of the Black Stars’ World Cup campaign, turning a routine visa process into a full-blown diplomatic dispute.

Partey, based with the national team in Boston, was refused permission to enter Canada, where Ghana are scheduled to play Panama in their World Cup opener. The Villarreal player is awaiting trial in the United Kingdom after being charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London’s Metropolitan Police, charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Canadian authorities cited those charges in rejecting his visa application, arguing that the decision was consistent with their immigration laws. A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, speaking on behalf of Minister Lena Diab, said officials assess every applicant individually, based on available facts and applicable law, and that the same standards were applied in Partey’s case.

FIFA has backed Canada’s right to determine who is granted a visa and who may enter its territory, stressing that host nations retain sovereign control over their borders even during major tournaments.

Ghana, however, insists that Partey followed all required procedures and that Canada’s stance undermines fundamental legal principles. Sports Minister Kofi Adams said the government has already lodged formal representations through diplomatic channels, urging Ottawa to review what he called an unjust and dangerous precedent.

Adams argued that denying entry to a player who has been charged but not convicted runs counter to international norms and the presumption of innocence. He noted that Partey continues to live and work freely in the United Kingdom, the jurisdiction where the alleged offences took place, and questioned why Canada would impose harsher restrictions from afar.

Ghanaian officials fear the case could open the door to selective exclusions of athletes based on unresolved legal matters, potentially affecting future tournaments. They maintain that both Ghana and Canada are signatories to international conventions that protect due process and non-discrimination, and say those commitments should guide visa decisions during global sporting events.

For now, Partey remains in the United States as Ghana prepare to face Panama without one of their most experienced players. The team is scheduled to return to the US for group matches against England in Boston and Croatia in Philadelphia, with a possible return to Canada later in the tournament if they progress.