England’s Djed Spence appears to snub Thomas Partey before Ghana match

Footage circulating online appeared to show Djed Spence pulling his hand away as Thomas Partey moved down the line of England players before the Group L match between England and Ghana in Boston. Television coverage cut away during the traditional pre-match handshakes, but social media video suggested the Tottenham Hotspur full-back did not shake Partey’s hand. The rest of England’s players appeared to shake hands or fist-bump the Ghana vice-captain.

The Football Association gave England no specific guidance for the ceremony, and the expectation was that the players would follow FIFA protocol, as they did against Croatia in Dallas last week. The BBC later addressed the cutaway, saying cameras had moved away before the handshakes and noting the reports that Spence did not shake hands with Partey. Gabby Logan repeated the details at half-time.

Partey’s reception in Foxborough, Massachusetts, was hostile from the start. England fans booed when his name was read out and jeered again every time he touched the ball. The reaction came after Ghana had already been forced to manage without him in their opening World Cup match against Panama in Toronto, where Partey missed out after being denied entry into Canada.

Canadian authorities refused Partey entry because his visa application stated that he had not faced criminal charges, and his appeal was later rejected by a federal court. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has said every person seeking entry is assessed individually under Canadian immigration law. That ruling leaves Ghana with a logistical problem if it finishes second in the group and advances, because reports said the team could return to Toronto for the round of 32, where Partey still cannot travel.

The on-field noise sits against a serious legal case. Partey was charged in July 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, then charged with two additional counts of rape in February 2026, with allegations involving four women between 2020 and 2022. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is due to stand trial next year, with a further hearing scheduled for October 2, 2026.