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Thomas Partey spent this past season with La Liga side Villarreal -Credit:Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
Ghana national team head coach Carlos Queiroz has named Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey in his preliminary 28-man FIFA World Cup roster, despite the former Arsenal player having been charged with seven counts of rape and another of sexual assault in the United Kingdom.
Partey is due to stand trial in London’s Southwark Crown Court in November, although it seems this may yet be pushed back into early next year, as per The Athletic.
The 32-year-old was first charged on July 5, 2025, with five counts of rape, along with another of sexual assault, going on to plead not guilty in September.
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Partey is set to stand trial in London in November, although this may be pushed back to early next year -Credit:Jordan Peck/Getty Images
These charges were brought by three women, with the incidents said to have occurred between 2021 and 2022. An investigation by London’s Metropolitan Police service subsequently began in February 2022 when a report regarding an alleged rape was received.
Fast forward to August 2025, and police received another report regarding a further two charges of rape dating back to 2020, prompting a new investigation to be opened. Partey was then charged with another two counts of rape in February 2026, to which he also pleaded not guilty.
At the time, his defense lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, commented, “Thomas Partey continues to deny all charges against him. He has cooperated fully with the police throughout. Given that legal proceedings are ongoing, there will be no further comment.”
If he is to make Ghana’s final 26-man roster, which has to be submitted by June 1, he would have to notify the relevant authorities of his travel plans, as per his bail conditions.
What’s more, Partey would also be obliged to make these charges against him clear when applying for a U.S. visa, with the American government stating, “If you have ever been arrested, cautioned and/or convicted of an offense anywhere in the world, you are required to declare it when applying for a visa.”
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A 56-time international, Partey made 32 appearances across all competitions in what was his first season with Villarreal between 2025 and 2026, struggling to consistently rack up full games as he dealt with various injuries.
This past season was not only Partey’s first with the La Liga side, but also his last, with his one-year contract set to end this summer.
He joined after five seasons with the Gunners, making 167 appearances, scoring nine goals, and adding seven assists.
Ghana is set to take on Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium in what will be their final pre-World Cup warm-up on June 2, before heading to their U.S. base in Providence, Rhode Island.
Drawn into Group L, they are set to kick off their tournament on June 17 against Panama at BMO Field in Toronto, before facing England on June 23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Their group phase will conclude on June 27 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Partey has so far made 56 appearances for the Ghanaian national team -Credit:Mika Volkmann/Getty Images
Ghana’s 28-player roster:
Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St. Gallen), Joseph Anang (St. Patrick’s Athletic), Solomon Agbasi (Accra Hearts of Oak), Paul Reverson (Ajax)
Defenders: Baba Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Oppong Peprah (Nice), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre)
Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (FC Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City)
Forwards: Kamaldeen Sulemana (Atlanta), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City)
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