BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to add another chapter to his remarkable World Cup career when Portugal face DR Congo in their opening Group K match on Wednesday.

Should the veteran forward feature against the African side, it will mark his 23rd appearance at the FIFA World Cup, drawing him level with Italian great Paolo Maldini in fourth place on the tournament’s all-time appearance list.

The milestone would be another landmark achievement for the 41-year-old Portugal captain, who is already the only player to have scored in five different World Cup tournaments and is seeking to extend that record in North America.

Ronaldo made his World Cup debut in Germany in 2006 and has since become one of the most enduring figures in international football, appearing at six editions of the tournament across two decades.

His expected appearance against DR Congo will place him alongside former Italy defender Paolo Maldini on 23 World Cup matches, leaving only a handful of players ahead of him in the competition’s history.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez is expected to rely on Ronaldo’s vast experience as his side begin their quest for a first World Cup title. The Portuguese are favourites against a DR Congo side making their first World Cup appearance in 52 years.

While the Congolese will be eager to frustrate Portugal and chase a historic first World Cup goal, much of the spotlight will inevitably fall on Ronaldo, whose longevity continues to defy expectations.

Another appearance would not only strengthen his place among the tournament’s all-time greats but also move him closer to the record for most World Cup matches played, adding yet another milestone to one of football’s most decorated careers.

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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, VANCOUVER, CANADA

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey will miss the Black Stars’ opening FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Panama after Canadian authorities rejected his visa application, citing his failure to disclose ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.

Partey, 33, was denied entry into Canada ahead of Wednesday’s Group L clash in Toronto after immigration officials determined that he had incorrectly stated in his visa application that he had never been arrested or charged with a crime.

According to a ruling by a federal court in Ottawa, which dismissed an appeal seeking to allow the player temporary entry for the match, there was “no serious issue in the underlying refusal” of the visa application. The court found that Partey “failed to disclose that he is the subject of multiple criminal charges for sexual violence in the UK”.

The former Arsenal midfielder, now with Spanish club Villarreal, has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving allegations from four women between 2020 and 2022. He is scheduled to stand trial next year.

Canada’s immigration authorities maintained that hosting a major sporting event such as the World Cup does not exempt visitors from the country’s immigration requirements.

“Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement. “Every person seeking to come to Canada is assessed individually, based on the facts available and the law that applies.”

IRCC officials had earlier raised concerns about whether Partey had met the requirement to answer questions truthfully on his application. The court ruling noted that under Canadian immigration law, a criminal conviction is not necessary for a person to be deemed inadmissible.

The judgment stated that “having reasonable grounds to believe that an offence has been committed is sufficient” to deny entry.

The Ghanaian government had sought special permission for Partey to enter Canada solely for the World Cup fixture, but the request was unsuccessful.

The decision contrasts with that of the United States, which allowed Partey entry for matches scheduled on American soil.

In a statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it was aware of the pending court case but noted that the player had not been convicted of any crime and had been granted a visa.

“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” CBP said, adding that questions regarding the Canadian refusal should be directed to Canadian authorities.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz had selected Partey in his World Cup squad despite the legal proceedings and remained hopeful of a favourable outcome until the final decision was delivered.

“My business is to play with the cards that I have in front of me,” Queiroz said on Tuesday. “We are waiting for a decision. When the decision arrives, we are ready.”

Partey’s absence is a significant blow to Ghana, for whom he has earned more than 50 caps since making his international debut in 2016.

After facing Panama in Toronto, Ghana will continue their World Cup campaign in the United States, taking on England in Boston on June 23 before meeting Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27. The Black Stars could return to Canada in the knockout stage should they advance as runners-up in Group L.

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Austria celebrated their long-awaited return to ​the World Cup with a 3-1 win over determined debutants Jordan on Tuesday, with substitute Marko Arnautovic the difference in a ‌gritty, end-to-end Group J match.

In a tense game on a brisk night in the San Francisco Bay Area, Austria went ahead with a 21st-minute thunderbolt from Romano Schmid before Jordan fought back after the break through Ali Olwan’s exquisite strike in off the post.

The catalyst for the Austrian victory was the halftime introduction of 37-year-old Arnautovic, who pressured ​defender Yazan Al Arab into a 76th-minute own goal before converting a perfect penalty deep into stoppage time.

The 3-1 scoreline perhaps flattered ​Austria, who were caught off guard by the pace of Jordan’s counterattacks as they looked to make their mark in their first-ever appearance at ⁠the showpiece event.

The victory puts Austria second in Group J behind defending champions Argentina, who beat Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City earlier on Tuesday.

Austria ​midfielder Konrad Laimer said he was relieved to get the win after a tough opening encounter.

“We knew that this was going to be a ​difficult match,” he said.

“What’s important is the mentality of the entire team. We never gave up, we kept going until the end and finally we came out on top.”

28-YEAR WORLD CUP ABSENCE

Jordan defended resolutely and were fierce on the break, with the pace of forwards Olwan and Mousa Al-Tamari a constant threat to ​Austria, who were playing at their first World Cup in 28 years.

The match got off to a frenetic start, with Jordan causing a ​scare two minutes in with a counter-attack that led to captain Ehsan Haddad blasting low into the side netting.

Austria soon got into their stride, with ‌Marcel Sabitzer ⁠the central figure in a succession of attacks, and they broke the deadlock on 21 minutes when Schmid found the top corner from outside the box.

Jordan pressed hard and found the leveller five minutes after halftime when Olwan powered down the left before firing a sumptuous shot in off the far post, sparking jubilation among their supporters in the stands.

Austria thought they were back in front when Arnautovic prodded home a loose ball ​from close range, but the goal ​was ruled out due to ⁠a handball by Stefan Posch following a VAR review.

They got the decisive goal when Sabitzer’s corner went in off Al Arab, then put the game beyond Jordan through Arnautovic’s penalty 12 minutes into stoppage time.

“We ​didn’t deserve to lose in our first-ever World Cup appearance – a historic participation for us,” Jordan’s Olwan ​said.

“We still have ⁠two matches ahead, and based on what I saw from our team today, we are capable of qualifying.”

Austria next face defending champions Argentina while Jordan take on Algeria on June 22.

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick praised Jordan for “an amazing job” and said results so far in this World Cup had shown how ⁠difficult it ​was for European teams to beat lower-ranked sides.

“They made it very difficult for us. ​I think that in the second half, this is where we got into the game,” he said.

“At the end of the day, I think that we deserved to ​win but it was very, very difficult.”

-Reuters

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