Need to knowGhana midfielder Thomas Partey is preparing to face England at the World Cup18:00, 23 Jun 2026Thomas Partey is part of Ghana's World Cup squad(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)Everything you need to know about Thomas Partey's trialNature of the charges: Ghana international Thomas Partey is currently facing allegations that include seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four different women. These incidents are alleged to have taken place between 2020 and 2022.Timeline of the charges: The Crown Prosecution Service initially charged the midfielder with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault in July 2025. Following further investigations into the matter, authorities formally added two additional rape charges in February 2026 to bring the total to eight criminal charges.Denial of allegations: The former Arsenal and current Villarreal midfielder has appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him. He remains on bail with legal conditions that prevent him from contacting the alleged victims.Delay in trial: The trial was initially scheduled to begin at Southwark Crown Court in November 2026 but it has now been postponed. A judge recently agreed to delay the proceedings, setting a new start date for June 8, 2027.Travel and visa issues: Due to ongoing legal proceedings, Canadian authorities recently rejected his visa application to enter the country for a World Cup match. However, he was permitted to travel to the United States to participate in other scheduled matches for the Ghana national team.Immigration, refugees and citizenship Canada stated: ''Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada's immigration laws. Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.''FIFA statement: “FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government. FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”READ MORE: Thomas Partey in line to face England at World Cup despite facing rape charges