Ghana vice-captain Thomas Partey will not join his team for their first World Cup match against Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Canadian immigration officials denied a visa to Partey, who was charged with rape in England earlier this year.
The Athletic first reported the news.
Partey faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault stemming from allegations made by four different women. He pleaded not guilty to all counts, is awaiting trial in London, and has not been convicted.
“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,” FIFA said in a statement. “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”
Ghana’s other two group stage matches are June 23 against England in Boston and June 27 against Croatia in Philadelphia. The national team is headquartered in Rhode Island for base camp, training at Bryant University in Smithfield and staying at a hotel in Providence. Partey is already with the team in the U.S. and is cleared to play in upcoming matches.
Partey, 32, spent last season at LaLiga side Villarreal after five years at Arsenal.
Partey’s lawyer, a spokesperson for Ghana’s national team, the Ghana Football Association, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
If Ghana advances into the knockout rounds, it’s possible Partey would have to stay behind again. The runners-up from Ghana’s Group L will play in Toronto on July 2 in the Round of 32, and the team that gets third, if they advance to the Round of 16, will go to Vancouver.
Partey is one of several players who has experienced visa or travel issues with the World Cup. Before Friday, the most high-profile denial was Somali referee Omar Artan, who the U.S. claimed had suspected ties to members of a terrorist organization.
