Former Arsenal midfielder Partey named in Ghana squad ahead of World Cup

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been selected for Ghana's preliminary 28-man squad for the upcoming World Cup.

The 32-year-old player is set to stand trial in the United Kingdom next year, having pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault. These charges stem from allegations made by four different women between 2020 and 2022.

Currently, Partey plays for Villarreal in Spain's La Liga, a club he joined in 2025 after spending five seasons with Arsenal. He was initially charged last July, shortly after his contract with Arsenal ended, and Villarreal signed him in August, just two days after he was granted bail.

He has actively participated in World Cup qualifying matches for Ghana, where he has earned 58 caps.

Kudus misses out for Ghana at World Cup 2026

Tottenham Hotspur forward Mohammed Kudus will be absent from next month's World Cup due to an injury. Kudus, who has scored 13 goals in 46 international appearances, sustained a quad injury in January. He had been expected to return by March; however, he faced a setback in his recovery and has not appeared in a match since.

Kudus, who transferred from West Ham United last summer, made 19 Premier League appearances for Spurs this season, netting twice.

Veteran coach Carlos Queiroz announced the latest squad list on Tuesday. He will rely on Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo and Athletic Club's Inaki Williams, while recalling former Chelsea defender Abdul Rahman Baba of PAOK for the first time since 2023.

Ghana has been drawn into Group L, where they will compete against Croatia, England, and Panama.

Ghana preliminary World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Joseph Anang (St Patrick's Athletic), Solomon Agbasi (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Paul Reverson (Ajax).

Defenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Peprah Oppong (Nice), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre).

Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City).

Forwards: Kamaldeen Sulemana (Atalanta), 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).