Djed Spence, the Tottenham Hotspur full-back, appeared to refuse a pre-match handshake with Thomas Partey when England faced Ghana at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Boston.

While not every handshake from the pre-match ceremony was captured on live television, footage shared across social media showed Spence appearing to bypass Partey — a stark contrast to every other England player, who appeared to shake the 33-year-old's hand.

No FA guidance ahead of the ceremony

Ahead of the fixture, the Football Association provided no specific instructions to England's squad regarding how players should conduct themselves when coming face to face with Partey during the pre-match formalities.

Even so, the expectation within the camp was that England's players would adhere to FIFA's standard protocols — as they had done against Croatia in Dallas the previous week — and exchange handshakes with each of their opponents.

Partey's legal situation

Partey currently faces seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations made by four separate women covering incidents alleged to have taken place between 2020 and 2022. He denies all charges and is scheduled to stand trial next year. The midfielder is presently on loan at Villarreal in Spain.

Partey missed Ghana's opening FIFA World Cup 2026 group fixture in Toronto last week after Canadian border officials refused him entry into the country. He was cleared to play in Boston for the second group game, however, after the United States granted him a visa.