Thomas Partey booed by England fans during World Cup clash with Ghana as Djed Spence refuses handshake | OneFootball

Thomas Partey, 33, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025 by the Metropolitan Police

The former Arsenal midfielder was booed at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts both when his name was name was announced on the team-sheet before kick-off and when he touched the ball during the game.

England defender Djed Spence chose not to shake hands with Partey as the two teams shook hands before kick-off.

Partey, 33, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025 by the Metropolitan Police, and he was subsequently charged with two new counts of rape in February this year.

Ghana's Thomas Partey

PA

The midfielder missed his country's opening win over Panama after he was denied entry into Canada.Partey is facing ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK but when applying for a visa he made a false claim to Canadian officials.Asked if he had “ever been charged for any criminal offence in any country”, Partey answered ‘no’.

He checked a box at the bottom of the document to confirm he had “answered all questions in this application fully and truthfully”.

The charges relate to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and he has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Partey is scheduled to stand trial in June next year.

The next hearing in his case has been set for October 2.

England's Djed Spence

PA

After being prevented from entering Canada, Partey appealed the decision.

That was rejected at a federal court, with the ruling pointing to the fact Partey had failed to disclose he is the subject of multiple charges.

The 33-year-old remained at Ghana's Rhode Island base while his teammates travelled to Canada to face Panama but started England’s game against Ghana at Boston Stadium.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) previously said: “Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians.

“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.”

Partey has appeared twice in the UK since being charged. He played during the latter stages of a 1-0 defeat for Villarreal at Tottenham in September before featuring earlier this month in a 1-1 draw with Wales in Cardiff.