FIFA officially confirmed that the former Arsenal star was unable to board the team flight from their United States training base in Boston to Toronto.
The global football governing body noted that the travel disruption occurred because his formal visa application "has been refused by the Canadian government."
The 32-year-old midfielder, who currently plays his club football in Spain for Villarreal, is facing severe legal battles in the United Kingdom.
Partey has been criminally charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four different women, relating to alleged incidents that took place between 2020 and 2022.
While he has adamantly maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to all counts in court, his high-profile criminal trial is officially scheduled to commence on June 8, 2027.
The shock development means Thomas Partey refused entry to Canada will completely miss Ghana’s opening Group L clash in Toronto.
However, because the tournament is uniquely co-hosted across three North American nations, his international tournament is not entirely over.
As things stand, Partey remains legally eligible to feature in Ghana's subsequent Group L matches hosted on American soil, including their highly anticipated showdown against England in Boston on June 23, and their final group game against Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27.
The administrative crisis highlighted the varying immigration policies between the co-hosting nation states. While Canada chose to exercise strict border protocols regarding individuals with pending indictments, the United States took a different approach.
In a formal statement issued to Sky Sports News, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency confirmed that they cleared the athlete for entry at the beginning of June.
The agency explained that while they are fully aware of the ongoing UK court case, Partey has not been convicted of any crime, holds a valid U.S. visa, and cleared all standard law enforcement and national security background checks upon arrival.
FIFA has completely distanced itself from the bureaucratic gridlock, reiterating its policy that host nations maintain absolute sovereignty over their borders.
The football star, who initially moved from Atletico Madrid to Arsenal in a blockbuster £45 million transfer back in 2020 before relocating to Villarreal in 2025, is currently out on judicial bail.
While he is permitted to travel internationally for his profession, his bail terms strictly prohibit him from making any form of contact with his alleged accusers ahead of his next preliminary court hearing on October 2, 2026.
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