‘He Has Not Been Convicted of a Crime’: USA Admits Ghana’s Partey Despite Trial

Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has been admitted into the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite facing an ongoing criminal trial in the United Kingdom.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that Partey was allowed entry because he has not been convicted of any crime.

In an official statement, the agency noted: ‘The US 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.’

The decision stands in sharp contrast to Canada’s stance. Canadian authorities refused Partey’s visa application, ruling him out of Ghana’s opening fixture against Panama in Toronto on June 17.

Partey is currently on trial in the UK, facing multiple rape charges and one count of sexual assault, allegations he denies through his legal team.

While Canada’s refusal prevents him from appearing in Toronto, Partey remains eligible to feature in Ghana’s other group-stage matches in the United States, including high-profile encounters against England in Boston and Croatia in Philadelphia.

The differing approaches by the U.S. and Canada have already sparked debate across Ghana’s World Cup campaign, with immigration policy and legal proceedings overshadowing the team’s preparations before their first match.