Thomas Partey has been barred from entering Canada, ruling the Villarreal midfielder out of Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama next Wednesday.The 32-year-old, who faces trial on seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault at Southwark Crown Court, had his visa application rejected by Canadian authorities.Ghana's tournament begins at BMO Field in Toronto on June 17, but their former Arsenal star will be forced to watch from afar.Partey arrived in the United States with his national team on June 4 and has been training at their Rhode Island base camp ahead of the competition.The Metropolitan Police initially charged Partey with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025, relating to alleged offences against three women between 2021 and 2022.He entered not guilty pleas to those charges in September of that year.Two additional rape counts were brought against him in February 2026, stemming from a separate investigation into alleged incidents in 2020 involving a fourth woman.Partey pleaded not guilty to these further charges in April.The trial, originally scheduled for November, may now be postponed until early 2027.Under his bail conditions, the midfielder must inform authorities before travelling abroad.FIFA confirmed the visa refusal in a statement, explaining: "FIFA can confirm that player Thomas Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana's team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government."The governing body emphasised it plays no role in host nations' immigration processes, noting that governments ultimately determine who receives entry.Canadian immigration authorities stated that safety remains their priority when welcoming World Cup participants.The IRCC noted that officers may deny entry to individuals deemed a potential security risk, applying rules consistently regardless of profile or nationality.Following the Panama fixture, Ghana face England at Gillette Stadium in Boston on June 23 before concluding their Group L campaign against Croatia at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on June 27.Partey spent five seasons at Arsenal, featuring 35 times in the Premier League during his final 2024-25 campaign at the Emirates.He subsequently joined Villarreal, where he made 32 appearances throughout the 2025-26 domestic season.His contract with the Spanish club expires at the end of this month, though an option exists to extend by a further year.The Metropolitan Police investigation began in February 2022 following an initial rape allegation.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss his nation's first World Cup game in Toronto against Panama, after being denied entry to Canada.

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Thomas Partey sapprte dbuter la Coupe monde 2026 avec le Ghana face au Panama, dans la nuit du 17 au 18 juin Toronto (1h), alors quil est en attente de son procs en Angleterre. Le joueur de Villarreal, pass par Arsenal, est accus par quatre femmes de viols et agression sexuelle. Il nie les faits depuis le dbut des investigations.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. With Aaron Judge on the injured list and Shohei Ohtani thriving in the other league, the door is open for a new contender to win the American League MVP award for the first time since the shortened 2020 season. Is this finally Yordan Alvarezs year to take home the honor? "Its something I think every player wants, but right now Im not thinking about that," Alvarez told me through his interpreter earlier this week in Anaheim. "Im not that type of player, to have that kind of pressure that I have to win that award." Its not that the Houston Astros slugger cant handle it, to be clear. This is the same player who catalyzed Houstons 2022 championship run with a walk-off home run off Seattle Mariners left-hander Robbie Ray in Game 1 of the American League Division Series and cemented it with a go-ahead blast off Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Jose Alvarado in Game 6 of the World Series. Alvarez has consistently produced in pressure-packed moments on baseballs biggest stage, slashing .314/.417/.628 with 11 home runs over his last four postseasons. It just isnt his modus operandi to try to garner individual attention, even amid what might end up the best offensive season of his eight-year career, especially while trying to lift a fourth-place Astros team thats searching for its way. But as much as Alvarez deflects when asked about it, those around him know what winning MVP would mean to him. "I think it would be a huge deal for us as an organization and as his manager, and I think his teammates [would] be ecstatic about it, but Yordan will never talk about that," Astros manager Joe Espada told me. "Hell never admit that he would love to do that. I know deep inside he would love to do that, and we all know hes that good, but hes a humble man." According to Alvarezs teammate Christian Walker, that humble nature shouldnt be misconstrued as a lack of competitiveness or drive. Theres a serenity to Alvarez when he steps to the plate, but its like a lion stalking his prey before pouncing. "Hes quiet, hes calculated, but do not confuse that with lack of caring," Walker told me. "This guy wants to win, and he wants to dominate this league, and I think hes in a position to do both of those things." Alvarez describes himself as "very competitive" and even "kind of stubborn." He said those attributes have helped him thrive at the plate and keep a positive mentality, no matter how hes feeling physically or how much time he might have missed due to injury. From 2020 through 2025, Alvarez played in only 590 of the Astros 870 games as knee, hand, oblique and ankle injuries sidelined him at different points. But he has still hit at least 20% better than league average every season of his career, and since entering the league in 2019, his 165 wRC+ 65% better than league average is the second-highest mark in MLB behind only Judge (183). "Im hard on myself," Alvarez said. "I have high standards. Even if I dont meet those high standards, I feel like the numbers are still going to be good." In August 2020, Alvarez underwent surgery on both of his knees. A year later, he recorded the highest batting average in ALCS history (.522) and outhit the entire Boston Red Sox lineup over the final two games of the series to send Houston to the World Series. The Astros lost in six games that year but won in six the next, thanks largely to Alvarezs 2022 postseason heroics against the Phillies. That season, Alvarez had an OPS over 1.000 and finished third in MVP voting behind Judge and Ohtani. It was the closest he has come to winning the award, due to both the brilliance of Ohtani and Judge over the ensuing years and the injuries that have prevented the Astros slugger from challenging for the honor. Four years later, though, a path has opened up for Alvarez, who is once again bouncing back from an injury-shortened season. He leads all of MLB in OPS, slugging and total bases. Over the past 58 years, only one player Miguel Cabrera in 2012 has won a triple crown. Alvarez, who ranks first in the AL in home runs, second in batting average and tied for third in RBIs, could challenge for it, though he thinks its too early to have that discussion. His ability to read pitchers and not fall victim to their plan of attack, he believes, is paramount to his success. "Every year, the league is harder on what they try to do with you," Alvarez said through his interpreter. "Knowing how to adjust is part of it. Ive been able to, thankfully, do it." Unfortunately for Alvarez and his MVP case, his team is 31-39. But in the dismal American League, the Astros are still only four games out of a wild-card spot. Plus, Alvarezs biggest competition right now for MLBs top individual honor is playing for an even worse Kansas City Royals club (28-41). Bobby Witt Jr. leads the AL in WAR, teaming his .799 OPS with 24 steals and exceptional defense at shortstop. Alvarez cant help his cause similarly with his legs or his defense, but his offense is so exceptional that it might not matter. He leads Witt, and nearly every AL player, in every major hitting category. There are no obvious blemishes in Alvarezs offensive package. Hes hitting .328 against fastballs and .326 against off-speed pitches, and hes slugging .658 against breaking balls. He has an OPS over 1.000 against both righties (1.068) and lefties (1.057). He ranks in the top 10 among all qualified hitters in barrel rate and hard-hit rate, and he doesnt sell out to access his power. Alvarez has the highest walk rate of his career (15.3%) this year, nearly as many walks (46) as strikeouts (53), and one of the 40 lowest whiff rates among all qualified hitters. "I think the reason hes in a category of his own is the consistency to hit everything hard," said Walker, who has hit behind Alvarez all month. "You look at the big production guys, they tend to be 30 or 40 homer [hitters] but bring a lot of strikeouts with that. Their averages tend to be a little bit lower. This guy, when hes not hitting homers, hes hitting 112-mph doubles in the gap. Its so impressive, the consistency. For me, thats what stands out the most, is his ability to compete." Hes also one of the most clutch hitters in the sport. Alvarez has demonstrated that skill in postseasons past, and hes doing so this year with an OPS over 1.100 with runners in scoring position. Its in those moments, Walker told me, when he sees Alvarezs quiet competitiveness manifest. "Its hard to quantify, because he doesn't have big reactions after at-bats," Walker said. "Its not a show of emotion, but you can feel it. You can feel it when he comes through in a big moment. He hits a three-run homer to give us the lead and hits home and comes back in the dugout, and you can just see it in his face." This year, Alvarez is accessing more of his pull-side power, allowing him to turn his barreled baseballs into home runs,but hes still spraying singles all over the field. When fellow Astros left-handed hitter Joey Loperfido was in the minor leagues, and even before he got drafted by Houston, he liked to watch Alvarezs swing because he admired how the slugger used the opposite field. "Just how powerful he is to left-center, how hes able to stay on some pitches, especially left-on-left, and go the other way one of the best to ever do it," Loperfido told me. This season is arguably Alvarezs best, but the 28-year-old is not yet satisfied. "I think I can be better," he said. In what way? "Everything."