Ghana’s minister for sports and recreation, Kofi Adams, has said a Canadian federal court in Ottawa will on Tuesday hear a suit challenging the visa denial of their midfielder Thomas Partey over his rape and sexual assault trial in the United Kingdom.

Mr Adams, told TV3’s Ghana Tonight, on Monday, that the Black Stars’ deputy captain’s counsel had filed necessary legal documents for the hearing.

He added that diplomatic efforts were also ongoing to ensure his visa denial was overturned ahead of their 2026 World Cup Group L opener against Panama, at BMO Field in Toronto on Wednesday.

Mr Adams said, “The court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday, June 16) 9 a.m. Eastern Time. The documentation and everything were filed so the hearing will be Tuesday morning.

“I think we are very confident because the action that has been taken legally is on three fronts; asking for a review, asking for a certain restricted entry and then also an application for a completely new consideration.

“And so at least if you don’t get two or all three, you will get at least one or two granted and that will necessarily give him the opportunity to enter Canada to join his colleagues to do what he does best.”

According to court documents, an application for leave and judicial review filed on June 15, under case number IMM-12882-26, and listed as an immigration case arising outside Canada, will be heard less than 36 hours before the match.

The 32-year-old Villarreal star who is still in the U.S. since the visa refusal by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault involving allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022. He is billed to stand trial in 2027.

Ghana will also play England in Boston on June 23, Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27, and could return to Canada, in the round of 32, if they finish as runners-up in the group.