Thomas Partey will play in the 2026 World Cup against England in Boston

Thomas Partey will make his first appearance at the 2026 World Cup when Ghana play against England on Tuesday. Partey was denied entry to Canada, which prevented him from participating in Ghana's first match against Panama, which ended in a 1-0 victory. The match will be played in Boston, where Partey may be booed by the crowd. The former Arsenal player has been charged by London's Metropolitan Police with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. Partey pleads not guilty to the charges and is awaiting trial. Ghana, after winning against Panama, moved from their base in Rhode Island to the United States, but Partey was left behind due to visa problems. Canadian law allows foreign nationals to be denied entry even if they have not been convicted. Court documents revealed that Partey's application for a temporary visa, submitted in May, did not disclose his criminal charges. His lawyers filed an appeal, which was rejected by the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa.  FIFA issued a statement confirming that Partey was unable to travel to Canada due to a visa refusal. However, Partey received a US visa ahead of the tournament and will be eligible to play against England and Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27. Partey told the media: "It's part of football for me. Things happen off the pitch that are out of our control, but I feel good and ready to play." It is worth adding that not only Partey, but also the Moroccan captain, Achraf Hakimi, is awaiting trial on rape charges. Hakimi, who was booed by Scotland fans in the match in Boston, will face similar reactions. Ahead of the match against England, Partey expressed his delight at being reunited with former Arsenal teammates Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. He said: "I'm happy to see them again. I hope they will show their best form and that we will also play at the highest level." --- ## Related Articles 1. [Canada Faces Crucial Clash Against Switzerland in 2026 World Cup](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/canada-faces-crucial-clash-against-switzerland-in-2026-world-cup) 2. [Mehdi Taremi's Goal Disallowed in Belgium vs Iran Clash at World Cup 2026](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/mehdi-taremis-goal-disallowed-in-belgium-vs-iran-clash-at-world-cup-2026)