Why Thomas Partey Is Allowed to Play for Ghana vs. England

As Ghana’s World Cup group stage clash with England on Tuesday is taking place in the United States, a country for which Thomas Partey has already been granted the necessary visa, the divisive former Arsenal midfielder was free to be named in the starting Xi.

Partey is a figure of considerable scrutiny since it was revealed last summer that he had been charged with multiple counts of rape by the Metropolitan Police in London. The 33-year-old, whose Arsenal contract expired three days before the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) publicized the case, has pleaded not guilty and denies all allegations.

The trial is not scheduled until June 2027. Partey has continued to play club soccer at a high level, representing Villarreal in Spain’s top flight and the Champions League before now earning a first World Cup appearance of the summer.

What Has Thomas Partey Been Accused of?

A statement from CPS in July 2025 revealed that Partey “has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. These allegations relate to three separate women who reported incidents which took place between 2021 and 2022.”

In February 2026, CPS added two further counts of rape against another woman relating to offenses in 2020 after a new investigation.

Following the latest charges, Partey’s defense lawyer Jenny Wiltshire released a statement: “Thomas Partey continues to deny all charges against him. He has cooperated with the police throughout. Given there are ongoing legal proceedings, there will be no further comment.”

Why Was Thomas Partey Not Allowed to Play in First World Cup Game?

Partey was granted a visa to enter the U.S. and travel to Ghana’s World Cup base in Boston but he could not follow the team to Canada for its opening match against Panama after being denied the necessary documents.

The midfielder’s visa application was rejected—as was the appeal from the Ghanaian government—because “the applicant failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the U.K.”

The charges in and of themselves were not necessarily the issue, it was the incorrect information Partey included in his application.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs brandished the ruling a “high-handed and extremely unfair decision.”

Why Is Thomas Partey Allowed to Play World Cup Games in the U.S.?

Partey was allowed to enter the U.S. under the simple principle of any individual remaining innocent until being proven guilty. The White House World Cup task force Andrew Giuliani explained as much to The Athletic: “When you see something like this—again, these charges are heinous, right? But it’s important to let the legal process play out.

“It’s fascinating we’re having that conversation as we’re talking about our 250th birthday, because the incredible foresight that our founding fathers had, certainly in our due process rights, I think is highlighted.”

U.S. customs and border protection (CBP) released a statement which further explained the reasoning: "The U.S. is aware of the pending court case for Mr. Partey. However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.

“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection. CBP defers to Canada for questions on his denial of entry.”

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