England full-back Djed Spence appeared to refuse to shake hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before their Group L World Cup match in Boston on June 23. Spence kept his hand in his tracksuit pocket and looked away as Partey walked past, seemingly surprising the Ghana player and avoiding the customary pre-match gesture [1, 2, 3, 4].
Partey, 33, faced boos from sections of the crowd whenever he touched the ball and during the player announcements before kickoff [1, 3, 4]. He missed Ghana’s opening World Cup game on June 21 in Toronto against Panama after Canadian immigration officials denied him entry due to pending legal issues [1, 2, 3, 4].
The midfielder stands accused of multiple serious crimes in the UK. He faces seven charges of rape and one or two counts of sexual assault, involving allegations by four women spanning 2020 to 2022. Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges [1, 2, 3, 4]. The exact number of sexual assault charges varies slightly across sources, with some reporting one count and others up to two [1, 2, 3, 4].
US Customs and Border Protection confirmed Partey was admitted into the United States on a valid visa since he has not been convicted of a crime [1, 4]. Partey told reporters before the match that he felt "ready to play" against England and responded "OK" when asked about the situation [1, 3, 4].
The Football Association and Djed Spence have not publicly commented on the apparent handshake refusal [1, 4]. Some social media users supported Spence’s apparent snub, while the incident has also reignited debate about the participation of athletes facing serious criminal charges in major sports events [3, 4].
Partey’s contract at Villarreal expires next week [2, 3]. He is scheduled to stand trial in the UK next year on rape and sexual assault charges, with the trial expected in November 2027 or later [1, 2, 3, 4]. The case will take place at Southwark Crown Court according to some reports [2, 3].
