Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault during a court appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
The 32-year-old Ghanaian international is accused of assaulting three women between April 2021 and June 2022, while he was still playing for Arsenal.
During the 14-minute hearing, Partey confirmed his name and date of birth and entered not guilty pleas to all charges. Judge Christopher Hehir scheduled the trial for November 2, 2026, citing a significant backlog in the crown court system.
The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks. Partey remains out on conditional bail under conditions prohibiting contact with the alleged victims and requiring notification of any address changes or international travel.
The alleged incidents involve two women and are said to have occurred between 2021 and 2022 while Partey was still playing for Arsenal. ,
He is accused of raping one woman three times at his £6 million mansion in Hertfordshire, raping a second woman twice, and sexually assaulting a third woman at the five-star NOBU hotel in Marbella, Spain.
Partey was charged in July 2025, shortly after his Arsenal contract ended in June. He had been arrested in July 2022 but was not publicly named at that time due to legal reasons.
He continued to play for Arsenal while under investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service charged him in July 2025.
Partey joined Arsenal from Atlético Madrid in 2020 for £45 million and played 130 matches for the club.
He represented Ghana at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and was named Ghana Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
In August 2025, he transferred to Spanish club Villarreal on a free transfer after his contract with Arsenal expired. Villarreal has acknowledged the allegations and expressed support for the presumption of innocence pending the trial outcome.
