A Versailles appeals court has confirmed that Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defender and Morocco national team captain, will stand trial over rape allegations.
The decision was confirmed on Friday after the court dismissed an appeal filed by the 27-year-old footballer, upholding an earlier February decision by an investigative judge recommending he face trial.
The court’s decision was made public just hours before Hakimi was set to lead Morocco against Scotland in their second Group C match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at 11 pm Nigerian time.
The legal battle stems from an incident in early 2023. A woman, who was 24 at the time, reported to police in the Val-de-Marne region southeast of Paris that Hakimi had sexually assaulted her at his home in a Paris suburb.
Following an initial investigation, French prosecutors handed the Moroccan international preliminary charges of rape in March 2023. Under French law, preliminary charges mean there is strong or corroborated evidence linking a suspect to a crime, allowing judicial authorities time to investigate further before deciding whether to proceed to trial.
In February 2026, investigative judges officially ordered the case to proceed to trial. Hakimi’s legal team subsequently filed an appeal to have the case thrown out, a bid that has now been definitively rejected by the Versailles court.
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A definitive date for the trial in France has yet to be scheduled by the judicial authorities.
Reacting to the latest development in the case, Hakimi took to social media and claimed that the case would have been dropped if he were not a public figure.
“Justice looked me in the eye and told me: ‘If you were not famous, there would never have been a case,” Hakimi wrote.
“I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.
He is currently on international duty in North America, captaining the Moroccan squad at the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a -1 draw against Brazil.
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