Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey is unable to travel to Canada for the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Ghana are scheduled to play Panama in Toronto. Multiple outlets report that Partey’s visa application to enter Canada has been refused, preventing him from joining the squad for the first game. FIFA is cited as confirming that he cannot travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for the match on Wednesday, 17 June. While the match against Panama is positioned as the immediate impact, several reports add that Partey could be available for later games if he is able to enter Canada at a subsequent point or if circumstances change.

BBC Sport and other summaries also note Partey’s response ahead of the tournament, saying he is ready to play despite the visa setback. Independent reporting and some other outlets reference allegations connected to legal proceedings in the UK, while FIFA’s official position, as described by the sources, is that the visa refusal is made by the Canadian government/host authorities. Overall, the common account across outlets is that the visa refusal is the reason for his absence from the opener.