FA LETS ENGLAND PLAYERS DECIDE ON HANDSHAKES WITH PARTEY AT GHANA MATCH

The Football Association has stated that England's players will be free to choose whether to shake hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before their World Cup fixture in Boston on Tuesday. Partey is scheduled to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court next year after being charged with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault, with two additional rape charges added subsequently. He has denied all allegations. The England squad includes two of his former Arsenal teammates, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who will face him during the match.

The pre-match handshake ceremony requires all players to greet their opponents, but the FA has chosen not to mandate participation for England's side. Partey missed Ghana's opening World Cup match against Panama after Canadian officials refused him entry to the country, though Ghana's team coach Carlos Queiroz stated the player should be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. The United States has granted Partey a visa, permitting him to play in Boston. Villarreal released Partey at the end of his contract this month after he spent the season with the Spanish club.

The World Cup has included other players facing rape allegations. Japan midfielder Kaishu Sano was arrested in 2024 on suspicion of gang rape involving himself and two others, following an alleged incident in Tokyo after a celebratory meal. Prosecutors subsequently dropped the charges after Sano reportedly apologised to the complainant and made a substantial financial payment to her.