Moments before kick-off, players from England and Ghana exchanged handshakes, but the broadcast feed unexpectedly cut out at a specific point — and here’s the reason behind it.

Thomas Partey’s inclusion in Ghana’s starting eleven to face England in the Group L fixture of the 2026 World Cup had already stirred significant discussion, yet one potentially awkward moment was avoided during the live telecast.

Partey missed Ghana’s opening match of the World Cup 2026 due to visa complications. His first visa application to enter Canada was rejected because it stated there were no criminal charges against him.

The former Arsenal midfielder eventually received clearance to play against England, but questions arose over whether the England players would shake his hand before the match began.

There had been widespread speculation that the England squad might refuse to engage with Partey during the pre-match formalities. Reports suggested that the Football Association had considered taking an official stance on the issue.

Ultimately, the FA decided not to intervene, and it has since been confirmed that several England players, including captain Harry Kane, did shake hands with Partey prior to kick-off.

However, video clips circulating online suggest that Djed Spence appeared to be the only England player who did not offer Partey a handshake during the customary lineup exchange.

Viewers who watched the England vs Ghana match on BBC would have missed this moment, as the live feed switched away just before the Ghanaian midfielder was shown on screen.

Many fans questioned why this occurred, speculating that the BBC had deliberately avoided broadcasting the incident. However, that assumption does not appear to be accurate.

Coverage of major tournaments such as the World Cup is managed through a centralised ‘world feed’ system operated by Host Broadcast Services (HBS).

HBS deploys around 45 cameras across the stadium to capture players, coaches, and key match events.

The live footage from these cameras is distributed to broadcasters like the BBC, giving them minimal control over real-time editing or censorship.

While BBC controls its pre-match build-up, half-time discussions, post-match analysis, and commentary, it is almost certain that the network was not responsible for cutting the feed during the handshake sequence involving Partey.

Each match has a dedicated HBS director in the stands, tasked with deciding which moments are broadcast-worthy. It appears that the director chose not to feature Partey at that particular instant.

The Villarreal midfielder is scheduled to stand trial in 2027 on charges of rape and sexual assault, facing five counts in total. Partey has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.