The 2026 World Cup could have yet more travel complications beyond the group stages as Ghana’s Thomas Partey faces being blocked from featuring in his country’s first knockout match, according to The Sun.

The Black Stars are almost guaranteed a place in the Round of 32 after picking up four points from their first two fixtures. A narrow victory against Panama and a goalless draw with England mean Ghana could finish either first, second or third in Group L.

Partey started in the England game, but he may not be allowed to feature for his team in the next round, depending on their final position. The 33-year-old is awaiting trial in the UK on rape and sexual assault charges. He has denied all allegations.

Thomas Partey’s World Cup Future in Doubt

Should Ghana beat Croatia in their final group game and overcome England’s goal difference in the process, the Africans would top Group L. That’d set up a Round of 32 tie with one of the best third-placed teams from Groups E, H, I, J or K.

Partey would be able to play in that game as it’d take place in the United States, just like the England draw. It would be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

However, there will be complications if they finish as runners-up in the group. The midfielder had to sit out of his nation’s first match against Panama after being denied a visa to enter Canada due to his ongoing case.

A second-placed finish would see Ghana play against either Portugal or Colombia at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. It’s likely the ex-Arsenal man would again be blocked from entering the country.

Kansas City would be the venue hosting Ghana in the first knockout round if they end up finishing third. That would see Partey available to Carlos Queiroz for selection.

Partey Handshake Snubbed By England’s Djed Spence

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Ahead of his first appearance at this year’s World Cup, all attention was on whether every England player would shake Partey’s hand. Tottenham’s Djed Spence appeared to be the only Three Lions member to avoid the pre-match routine.

The English Football Association originally took time to consider whether they’d make the players’ decision for them before the match. But in the end, they left it up to each individual on whether they wanted to acknowledge their opponent or not.

Partey was asked about the incident in the mixed zone following the draw, but did not provide an answer.

Lionel Messi’s World Cup triumph with Argentina in 2022 and his multiple Copa America titles stand as some of the proudest achievements of his career, yet they might never have happened had he not made a crucial decision back in 2016.

After another agonising final defeat that summer, a devastated Messi told the world his time with the national team was over, convinced he had given everything he had to give without reward.

Had he stuck to that call, the Argentina career now remembered as one of the greatest in football history would simply not exist.

Lionel Messi’s 2016 Argentina Retirement Explained

Messi’s announcement came moments after Argentina’s penalty shootout defeat to Chile in the 2016 Copa America Centenario final, an off-schedule tournament arranged to mark 100 years of the tournament.

It was a result that condemned the then-29-year-old to a fourth major final loss with his country and third in a row, following the 2007 Copa America final, then the 2014 World Cup final defeat to Germany, before another Copa America defeat in 2015. In the immediate aftermath, a visibly devastated Messi told reporters:

He was adamant in the moment that there was no going back on the decision, framing it as final rather than a knee-jerk reaction to defeat.

Messi’s frustration ran deeper than the final losses. He had become increasingly unhappy with the running of Argentine football behind the scenes, having taken aim at the Argentine Football Association publicly after the squad endured a lengthy delay travelling to the final, where he labelled them a “disaster.”

Back home, the reaction to his announcement was one of shock, with fans taking to the streets with signs urging him to reconsider. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero was among those to speak out, suggesting Messi’s comments had come from raw emotion in the heat of the moment and admitting he could not picture the national side without him.

Even long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo urged him to reconsider:

Fans and pundits across the football world shared that hope, with much of the coverage treating the retirement as a passionate outburst rather than a permanent goodbye. Nobody was ready to see him go so soon, and they got their wish.

What Happened Since Messi Changed his Mind

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Messi’s international exile lasted barely two months. Ahead of a pair of World Cup qualifiers later that summer, he issued a statement reversing his decision, citing his love for the country and the shirt as too strong to walk away from.

He explained that his intention had never been to cause harm to Argentine football, and that he preferred to help fix its problems rather than criticise from the outside, while thanking supporters who had urged him to stay.

The U-turn changed the course of his career entirely. Five years later, Messi led Argentina to Copa America glory in 2021, before lifting the World Cup itself in 2022, in what was one of the best matches ever played at a World Cup. He added a further Copa America title in 2024 and, individually, has now scored over 120 goals in more than 200 appearances for his country.

An international career that briefly looked finished at 29, instead turned into the most decorated spell of Messi’s international career, and all but sealed the argument for Messi being the best footballer of all-time to many, all built on a decision he reversed within weeks of making it.

After being simulated 10,000 times following Thursday’s fixture release day, the final 2026/27 Championship table has been predicted in full by a supercomputer. West Ham, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers dropped into English football’s second tier after suffering relegation from the Premier League last season.

That trio – which, for the first time in four years, was not made up of the same three clubs that had won promotion the season before – will all be desperate to bounce straight back at the first attempt. Meanwhile, Lincoln City, Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers would surely be more than content with consolidation after securing their Championship status on the back of impressive League One campaigns. For those clubs, simply keeping their heads above water and establishing themselves at a higher level may be viewed as success.

However, if the supercomputer’s projections, courtesy of Parimatch UK Sportsbook, are to be believed, there could be plenty of twists and turns ahead. The Championship rarely follows a script and has a habit of throwing up surprises when least expected, and this predicted final table suggests several clubs may be in for a rollercoaster ride. In fact, the standings look markedly different from how many supporters and pundits would have expected the season to unfold.

Relegation Places

Unfortunately for Lincoln City, they are the only club who are riding the crest of promotion that are tipped to be taken straight back down 12 months on. They are set for a tough campaign, having lost manager Michael Skubala to Bristol City in the off-season, with them predicted to earn just eight wins. That’s just one and two fewer than Charlton Athletic and Blackburn Rovers in 23rd and 22nd respectively.

The latter of that relegated trio have been hanging by a thread in a constant dogfight in recent years. Financial issues continue to take their toll on Rovers, and it appears 2027 finally sees them drop another level, 32 years on from winning the Premier League. Just four points will separate them from Portsmouth, another struggling former topflight side.

Bolton Wanderers, Queen’s Park Rangers, and Cardiff City are also tipped to feel the fear of the dotted line creeping up on them at various stages of the seasons, though they are expected to keep themselves safe. With nine poitns separating 18th from 21st, nobody in the bottom half will be able to rest on their laurels.

Mid-table Security

Peter Powell via Reuters

It seems a little unfair that Arsenal won the Premier League title last season using many of the same dark arts that Stoke City employed under Tony Pulis in the 2010s – the very style of football that helped inspire the famous hypothetical question: “Could Lionel Messi do it on a cold, wet Tuesday night in Stoke?” Yet while Arsenal have climbed to the summit, the Potters now find themselves stuck in Championship midtable, far removed from their days of rubbing shoulders with the elite.

Still, a 15th-place finish would represent an improvement of two positions on last season, proving there may at least be light at the end of the tunnel. Mark Robins’ side are predicted to finish three points above Watford, with the Hornets – who boast one of football’s most famous supporters in Elton John – ending the campaign in 17th. Preston North End are forecast to come in 16th on 55 points.

Just above the Potters in 14th are Tom Brady-owned Birmingham City, while Bristol City, Derby County and Swansea City round out a cluster of sides seemingly destined for a season of treading water. Barring a surprise run, all four look set to drift through the campaign with little danger of either a promotion charge or a relegation battle.

Race For Playoffs

Not only does the supercomputer predict that Wrexham will make the play-offs, punching well above their weight to finish sixth, it also believes they will find the tournament know-how to go all the way at Wembley and complete an incredible fourth promotion in five seasons, with Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ fairytale showing no signs of slowing down.

They are tipped to beat Southampton over two legs in the semi-finals before facing either Burnley or Middlesbrough in the final. All three of those clubs have recent Premier League experience and significantly greater resources, but Hollywood has a habit of rewriting the script when it comes to the Welsh side.

Finishing on 76 points, the Welsh side are projected to win one more match than Millwall and pip them to sixth place, while Sheffield United are tipped to fall just short on 71 points. Norwich City and West Brom round out the group chasing what would be an increasingly unlikely play-off spot.

The Canaries redefined what it meant to be a yo-yo club during the days of Todd Cantwell and Teemu Pukki, bouncing between the Championship and Premier League with remarkable regularity. However, they have not returned to the top flight since their relegation during the pandemic-affected campaign in 2020, and the financial landscape in Norfolk is no longer what it once was after years away from the lucrative parachute payments.

West Ham, Europa Conference League winners just two seasons ago, are tipped to go straight back, finishing on 92 points. With Jarrod Bowen expected to find it difficult leaving given his relationship with the Dyer family, he could be able to drag the Hammers back up single-handedly in some cases, with the east Londoners tipped to score 40 more goals than they concede.

There’s no surprise that Wolves follow them closely on 88 points. They boast an enviable mix of youthful excitement and older wiser players, so with the resources at their disposal, it would be a shock if they didn’t get that automatic promotion place.