Normally, the handshake is football’s easiest formality: a quick line, a nod, then on with the match. Here, it appears far more loaded.
The report says Partey is in Ghana’s squad while facing an ongoing legal case, and that he has pleaded not guilty. That leaves England balancing two realities at once:
In a World Cup setting, associations usually want clarity early. The less uncertainty left hanging over the walkout, the better.
This is not just an abstract FA issue. Some England players have shared dressing rooms with Partey, and that can make any public gesture feel more scrutinised than usual.
A collective instruction would remove guesswork. Equally, leaving it to individual players may be seen as the least intrusive route. Either way, the smart move for England would be to settle on a position before the match week begins, rather than allowing the moment to become the story.
Ghana’s line, at least publicly, sounds firm. Okraku’s “we stand by him shoulder to shoulder” leaves little doubt about how strongly the federation is backing Partey’s inclusion.
That, in turn, sharpens the spotlight on England. If Ghana are showing unity, England will want calm, not confusion.
The football itself should still take centre stage, but this looks set to remain part of the build-up. Between now and 23 June, the next point to watch is whether England choose a team-wide protocol or leave one of the World Cup’s most delicate pre-match moments to individual judgement.