Why is Ghana's Thomas Partey being booed in World Cup match vs. England?

Bill Corey and Cameron Merritt, Providence JournalTue, June 23, 2026 at 9:06 PM UTC

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Ghana's highest-profile player, Thomas Partey, is hearing boos whenever he handles the ball in his World Cup debut today against England at Boston Stadium.

Partey missed the team's opening win over Panama in Toronto after he was denied entry to Canada after his visa application was refused, as first reported by The Athletic. The team, which is based in Providence for the duration of its tournament run while training at Bryant University, kicked off Group L play on Wednesday, June 17 in Toronto against Panama. After a sluggish opening 45 minutes, the Black Stars picked up momentum in the second half and capitalized in extra time as Caleb Yirenkyi found the back of the net in the 95th minute for the 1-0 win.

LIVE UPDATES: Live updates from England vs. Ghana World Cup match at Boston

Partey, 33, is facing five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after being charged in July 2025 by London police. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. He was then charged with two more counts of rape in February, according to The Athletic. He pleaded not guilty to the additional counts in April. Partey appealed the denial of his visa to Canadian federal court, but lost.

According to The New York Times, a letter from Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship department refusing Partey's visa application said he was "inadmissible to Canada" as a result of the charges he faces.

"I think it is part of football and things happen outside of football that you cannot control," Partey said on Monday at a Ghana press appearance when asked if missing the first match has made him more eager to perform. For me, no, I feel OK and am ready to play."

Here's what you about Partey and the charges he's facing:

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Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group L - England v Ghana - Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, U.S. - June 23, 2026 Ghana's Thomas Partey with Antoine Semenyo before the match REUTERS/Peter CziborraWho is Thomas Partey?

Partey is a midfielder who currently plays for La Liga club Villarreal CF and the Ghana Men's National Team. He was named the Ghana Player of the Year by the Ghana Football Association in 2018 and 2019 and has served as the Black Stars' vice captain since 2020.

Born and raised in Krobo Odumase, Ghana, Partey came up through the academy of local club Odometah FC before signing to the academy of Spanish club CD Leganés in 2012 and shortly after La Liga side Atlético Madrid. He spent eight seasons contracted to Atleti, spending the 2013-14 season on loan at RCD Mallorca and 2014-15 on loan at UD Almería, and helped the capital club win the 2018 UEFA Europa League and earned a 2020-21 La Liga winners medal.

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Where does the legal case against Thomas Partey stand?

Partey is set to stand trial in the UK on seven charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault. On April 13, a judge at the Westminster Magistrates' Court ruled all eight charges should be tried together, but that the trial could be pushed back until January 2027.

For Partey's case, he "vehemently defends his innocence and denies all charges against him," per a statement by Villarreal when he signed last August. He has also received the backing of Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku, who told Ghanian broadcaster Asaase Radio in February that the GFA stands "shoulder to shoulder with him during these challenging times" and that as vice-captain, he was a "key member of the Black Stars."

Coach Carlos Quieroz, who took the reigns of the Black Stars in April, defended his selection of Partey to reporters in a press conference ahead of a friendly against Wales on Monday, June 1, saying that "until the court makes a decision, that the presumption of innocence is on the side of all court cases."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Here's why Ghana's Thomas Partey being booed in World Cup match vs. England?

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