Thomas Partey Misses Ghana's World Cup Opener After Canada Entry Denial

Thomas Partey will miss Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama after wrongly telling officials in Canada he had never been arrested or charged with a crime.

Partey, 33, was denied entry to Canada before Wednesday's match in Toronto because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.

The Ghanaian government sought permission for him to enter the country briefly to take part in the game but that appeal was rejected at a federal court in Ottawa.

The appeal ruling said there was "no serious issue in the underlying refusal" of the visa and "the applicant failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK".

Former Arsenal player Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is due to stand trial next year.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada told the BBC: ''Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada's immigration laws.

"Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.''