Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey is set to face England and his former Arsenal teammates in a World Cup match on Tuesday, amid ongoing rape allegations. Partey, who now plays for Villarreal, has denied all charges and is scheduled to stand trial next year at Southwark Crown Court.
The Football Association has left it to England's players to decide whether to shake hands with Partey during the pre-match ceremony. The squad includes Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who previously played alongside Partey at Arsenal.
Partey missed Ghana's opening World Cup game against Panama after Canada denied him entry due to the charges. However, he has been granted a visa to play in Boston against England. Ghana's head coach, Carlos Queiroz, has maintained that Partey should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Partey is not the only player at the World Cup facing sexual assault allegations. Japan's Kaishu Sano was arrested for gang-rape in 2024, but charges were dropped after an apology and payment. Morocco's Achraf Hakimi will also face trial for alleged rape, which he denies.
The Ghanaian government initially criticised Canada's decision to refuse Partey entry, but a court later revealed that Partey had misled officials in his visa application by denying any criminal charges. This has sparked a political debate in Ghana over the handling of the situation.
