Football has a problem when it lets an accused four-time rapist play at the World Cup

June 28, 2026 — 1:45pm

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Should footballers facing serious criminal charges be allowed to play at the World Cup? One might expect the answer to be no. But various countries and sporting codes apply different rules. What has been clear, however, is the public’s response to the sight of an alleged rapist on the field.

Last year, four days after he left English Premier League club Arsenal, Ghana’s Thomas Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault. In February this year, as a Villarreal player in Spain, he was charged with two new counts of rape. The 33-year-old denies the charges, which are based on the testimonies of four women about separate alleged attacks in London.

The charges have not stopped him from being selected to represent his country at the World Cup. But his presence at the 2026 tournament – and that of another alleged rapist, Morocco skipper Achraf Hakimi – has fuelled the international discourse around an uncomfortable situation.

Last week, the lead-up to Ghana’s scoreless draw with England was flooded with speculation about whether any of England’s players would shake Partey’s hand before kick-off, or if they would forgo the traditional pre-match ritual to make a public point.

Only one England player appeared to choose the latter: the viral video showing Tottenham defender Djed Spence withdrawing his hand as Partey passed him in the line-up placed Spence at the centre of a binary and inflammatory debate that has been bubbling for years. Also doing the rounds with accompanying comment were photos of captain Harry Kane offering his hand before kick-off, and of Declan Rice warmly embracing his former Arsenal teammate at full-time.

There is a valid argument that none of these England players should have faced such intense scrutiny in the first place. They – and others contesting the 2026 tournament – have been placed in an impossible situation that could have been avoided had FIFA........

© The Sydney Morning Herald