- Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey has been denied entry to Canada for his country's opening World Cup match against Panama due to charges of rape and sexual assault.
- Partey, who has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by London's Metropolitan Police, is currently awaiting trial and has not been convicted.
- Ghana's sports minister, Kofi Adams, has criticised Canada's decision as “flimsy” and “absolutely wrong”, urging a review of the denial, stating that a charge does not equate to guilt.
- Canada's government stated that its immigration laws remain consistent for major events, assessing each individual based on available facts and applicable law, while FIFA confirmed it is not involved in host countries' immigration processes.
- Despite missing the match in Toronto, Partey, who was granted a US visa, will be eligible to play in Ghana's subsequent World Cup games against England and Croatia in Boston and Philadelphia, respectively.
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