Ghana coach Queiroz retains Partey in World Cup squad despite UK legal proceedings

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has included Thomas Partey in the national team’s preliminary 28-man squad for next month’s World Cup, despite the midfielder facing serious criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom. Partey, who currently plays for Villarreal, is scheduled to stand trial next year on charges relating to allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022.

The 32-year-old has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The legal case is set to proceed in the UK, where Partey was initially charged last July shortly after his contract with Arsenal expired. He was granted bail two days before signing with Villarreal in August 2025, following five seasons in the English Premier League.

Queiroz, who announced the squad list on Tuesday, has opted to retain the midfielder who has made 58 appearances for Ghana and played a significant role in the team’s World Cup qualifying campaign. The coach will look to key forwards Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City and Inaki Williams of Athletic Club to lead the attack, alongside recalled PAOK defender Abdul Rahman Baba, who has not featured for the national side since 2023.

In a separate development, Tottenham Hotspur forward Mohammed Kudus has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury. The 25-year-old, who has scored 13 times in 46 international caps, suffered a setback in his recovery from a quad injury sustained in January. Kudus has not played a match since January and made 19 Premier League appearances for Tottenham this season, scoring twice.

Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, England, and Panama. The final squad includes goalkeepers Benjamin Asare, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Joseph Anang, Solomon Agbasi, and Paul Reverson, while the midfield and defensive lines feature players from clubs such as Auxerre, Rennes, Rayo Vallecano, and Leicester City.