Achraf Hakimi Faces Rape Trial Amid World Cup Campaign
The legal battle shadowing Achraf Hakimi’s career has moved into its most serious phase yet, with French authorities ordering the Paris Saint-Germain defender to stand trial for rape following a lengthy judicial investigation.
The case relates to an incident in February 2023, when a young woman reported she had been sexually assaulted at Hakimi’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the outskirts of Paris. After a three-year inquiry, prosecutors pushed for the matter to go before a criminal court, and an appeals court has now confirmed that referral.
Authorities in Hauts-de-Seine concluded that the investigation produced enough evidence against the 27-year-old to justify a full criminal trial. That decision has dragged a private legal saga squarely into the public glare at the very moment Hakimi is captaining Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.
Hakimi breaks his silence
For a long time, Hakimi chose not to comment publicly. That changed once the appeals court ruling landed.
Taking to social media, the Morocco international claimed the case would never have existed without his status as a star footballer. He wrote that “the court looked me in the eye and said: ‘If you weren't famous, there would never have been a case.’”
Hakimi added that he had deliberately stayed quiet, believing that “remaining dignified, being patient, and trusting in the justice system” would be enough for what he views as the correct outcome to emerge.
His stance is clear: he presents himself as the target of a false accusation and insists the process has been distorted by his profile.
Civil party hails “consistent” decision
On the other side of the courtroom divide, the woman’s legal team greeted the appeals ruling as a crucial step.
Rachel-Flore Pardo, lawyer for the civil party, underlined that the investigating chamber had determined there was “sufficient evidence against Achraf Hakimi for having committed rape.” She described the decision as “perfectly consistent with the evidence in the case” and aligned with the positions taken by the public prosecutor, the investigating judge, and the advocate general at the Court of Appeal.
For her client, Pardo said, the ruling brings “relief and hope” – hope that the trial will not only address her own complaint, but also “help other women and further erode the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, even within the world of men's football.”
Those words go far beyond a single case. They speak directly to a sport still wrestling with how it handles allegations of abuse and power imbalances around elite male players.
Defence team rails against trial order
Hakimi’s representatives have taken the opposite view, attacking the decision to proceed.
His legal team argues that the investigation uncovered “a multitude of exculpatory elements” which, they claim, would have led to a dismissal in any other case. In their eyes, the very fact the matter is going to trial reflects an injustice rather than a neutral legal assessment.
Hakimi’s lawyer said the player is now “eagerly awaiting his trial” so he can “finally speak publicly about the false accusation against him.” The message is combative: they are not merely contesting the allegation, but questioning the integrity of the process that has brought him to the dock.
World Cup spotlight, courtroom shadows
The timing could hardly be more combustible. Hakimi is not just another squad member in North America; he is wearing the armband for Morocco at the 2026 World Cup and preparing for a pivotal second group-stage match against Scotland on Friday evening.
On the pitch, he is expected to be a leader, a reference point in a side carrying the weight of a continent’s expectations after Morocco’s historic rise in recent tournaments. Off it, he is now a defendant awaiting a criminal trial in France.
How he handles that dual existence will be watched closely. Every performance, every gesture, every appearance in front of the media will now be filtered through the prism of an upcoming rape trial.
PSG watch and wait
Back in Paris, PSG executives are monitoring developments with obvious concern. Hakimi remains a key figure in their squad, yet the club must now plan a pre-season with the looming prospect of a high-profile criminal case involving one of their star defenders.
A definitive trial date is expected to be set in France soon. When it comes, it will not just shape Hakimi’s future in the courts. It could redefine his standing in the dressing room, in the stands, and across a sport still struggling to decide how it responds when the game’s brightest talents stand accused of the gravest crimes.
