Thomas Partey remained at the center of controversy on Tuesday night in Boston, where Ghana started him against England in the 2026 World Cup. Before kickoff, a video circulating on social media appeared to show England defender Jedd Spence avoiding a handshake with Partey, while England fans booed the Ghana midfielder every time his name was mentioned or he touched the ball.
During the pregame handshake ceremony, the television broadcast cut away as Partey walked past the England line. In the viral clip, Spence appears to shake hands with another player in the line but not with Partey. Other England players were seen either shaking Partey’s hand or exchanging fist bumps with him.
Partey is currently facing five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, and in February two additional rape counts were added. He denies all allegations. He had missed Ghana’s opening match against Panama after Canadian authorities refused to let him enter the country, citing a visa application declaration that said he was not facing criminal charges. He was later allowed into the United States and trained with Ghana before the tournament.
Ghana continued to back him professionally and restored him to the lineup against England, but the backlash around his participation has grown into one of the tournament’s most discussed storylines. No official comment had been issued by Spence or the Football Association about the handshake video, and it remained unclear whether the England defender intentionally refused the handshake or whether the clip was being misread.
