Midfielder Thomas Partey has been included in Ghana's preliminary 28-man squad for next month's FIFA World Cup, despite facing seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault in the United Kingdom, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The 32-year-old, who now plays for Villarreal (a Spanish La Liga club) after five seasons with Arsenal, is due to stand trial next year in connection with allegations made by four women between 2020 and 2022. His inclusion is notable as Ghana, drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia, and Panama, will be without injured Tottenham forward Mohammed Kudus, increasing the team's reliance on experienced players like Partey, who has earned 58 caps for the national side.