Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey says he is ready to face England after being denied entry to Canada for the Black Stars’ World Cup opener.

The former Arsenal player, 33, missed Ghana’s win against Panama last week because of ongoing criminal proceedings in the UK.

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 scheduled to stand trial next year.

He was denied entry to Canada after telling officials he had never been arrested or charged with a crime, but is expected to feature against England in Boston on Tuesday.

“It’s part of football,” the Villarreal player said.

“Things happen outside football that you cannot control. For me now, I feel OK and ready to play.”

In a statement, US customs and border protection (CBP) said last week: “The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey.

“However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.”

Ghana head coach Carlos Queiroz said his players were “fully motivated” to face England.

“This is the easiest type of match, because when you’re about to play against England, France or Germany, you don’t need to say anything to the players,” he added.

“Everybody is fully switched on and everybody wants to perform well.”