Achraf Hakimi Faces Trial for Alleged Rape Amid World Cup Duties
Achraf Hakimi will face a full criminal trial for alleged rape in France after an appeals court confirmed that investigators had gathered enough evidence to move the case forward.
The decision follows a judicial inquiry launched after a young woman reported a sexual assault at the defender’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt in February 2023. Legal authorities in Hauts-de-Seine ruled that the file was strong enough to bypass any further preliminary steps and head straight to trial.
It lands at the very moment Hakimi is captaining Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.
If you weren’t famous…
The Paris Saint-Germain full-back broke his long public silence with a pointed statement on social media, claiming the justice system treated him differently because of his profile.
“The court looked me in the eye and said: ‘If you weren’t famous, there would never have been a case,’” Hakimi wrote. “I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that remaining dignified, being patient, and trusting in the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.”
His words underline the bitterness of a player who insists he is the victim of a false accusation, even as the case moves into its most serious phase.
Civil Party Hails “Consistent” Step Toward Justice
On the other side, the woman’s legal team welcomed the ruling as a vital marker in the long battle to hold powerful figures in sport to account.
Rachel-Flore Pardo, lawyer for the civil party, said: “The investigating chamber has ruled that there is sufficient evidence against Achraf Hakimi for having committed rape. This decision is perfectly consistent with the evidence in the case and in line with the opinions of the public prosecutor, the investigating judge, and the advocate general at the Court of Appeal.
“This decision brings my client relief and hope... The hope that this trial will help other women and further erode the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, even within the world of men’s football.”
Her comments frame the case as part of a broader reckoning in elite sport, where the imbalance of power between stars and alleged victims has often defined whether accusations gain traction.
Defence Denounces “False Accusation”
Hakimi’s camp paints a completely different picture.
His legal team has repeatedly attacked the decision to proceed, arguing that the investigation sidelined evidence in his favour and should have been thrown out.
“The multitude of exculpatory elements revealed by the investigation and the judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to a dismissal,” his lawyer stated. “Mr. Achraf Hakimi is now eagerly awaiting his trial so that he can finally speak publicly about the false accusation against him.”
The clash is stark: one side talking of relief and systemic change, the other promising a forceful rebuttal once the player takes the stand.
World Cup Spotlight, Courtroom Shadow
All of this unfolds as Hakimi leads his country on football’s biggest stage.
The 27-year-old is currently captaining Morocco at the 2026 World Cup and is preparing for a crucial second group-stage match against Scotland on Friday evening. Every training session, every media appearance, now carries the weight of the looming trial.
For Morocco, he remains the on-field leader, the driving force from the back. Off the pitch, he is a man under intense legal and public scrutiny, with his future shaped as much by judges as by coaches.
Paris Saint-Germain are watching closely. The French champions will soon begin pre-season planning with a key defender facing a criminal trial in the same country where he plays his club football. A definitive trial date in France is expected to be set in the near future.
Until then, Hakimi walks a narrow line: captain of a nation, cornerstone of a superclub, and central figure in a court case that could redefine not only his career, but the way football confronts allegations of sexual violence at the very top of the game.
