OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — A Canadian federal judge on Tuesday rejected Ghana’s bid to get Thomas Partey into the country for the team’s first World Cup match while the midfielder awaits trial on rape charges.The ruling means Partey, whose visa application was denied last week, will remain in the United States while his teammates face Panama in Toronto on Wednesday. He will be eligible to play in Ghana’s next two matches — both in the U.S.Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had criticized the visa denial for Partey, who awaits trial in Britain, as a “high-handed and extremely unfair decision.” Its appeal was heard by the court earlier Tuesday.Partey faces allegations in Britain from several women dating to his time playing for Arsenal from 2020-25. Partey, who played in Spain for Villarreal this past season, has pleaded not guilty.In March, a lawyer for Partey said the player intends to plead not guilty to two new charges of rape after a woman alleged Partey twice raped her on the same day in December 2020. Partey had separately been awaiting trial on five counts of rape related to two other women and one count of sexual assault involving another woman, and the new allegations arose after the first set of charges were publicized.