A French appeals court has ruled that Achraf Hakimi, a Moroccan international footballer and Paris Saint-Germain defender will stand trial over allegations of rape stemming from an incident reported in 2023.
The decision, delivered on Friday by the Versailles court of appeal, confirms that the case will proceed to a criminal court despite the footballer’s continued denial of all allegations.
Hakimi, who captains Morocco’s national team and is currently participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reacted to the ruling on social media, stating that he had been awaiting the opportunity to defend himself in court.
“I have been waiting for this trial since day one. At last, I will be able to speak,” he wrote on X.
The allegations date back to February 2023 when a 24-year-old woman reported to police in the Val-de-Marne region near Paris that she had been sexually assaulted by the football star.
According to investigators, the complainant claimed she met Hakimi through Instagram before visiting his residence in a taxi allegedly arranged by the player. She alleged that Hakimi kissed and touched her without consent before raping her.
The woman further claimed she managed to push him away and contacted a friend, who later picked her up from the residence.
Fanny Colin, Hakimi’s lawyer welcomed the court’s decision to move the matter to trial, insisting that the ruling does not imply guilt.
“This confirmation was expected. Nothing here says that he is guilty of anything. He remains steadfast in his defence,” Colin said.
Meanwhile, the complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said the ruling offered her client “relief and hope” as she seeks justice through the legal process.
The woman, who recently spoke publicly under the pseudonym “Jeanne” in an interview with French investigative outlet Mediapart, said she wanted the trial to provide an opportunity for her account to be heard.
“I want to explain myself. I want people to believe me,” she said.
French authorities have not yet announced a date for the commencement of the trial in the Hauts-de-Seine criminal court.
The case comes as Hakimi remains one of Africa’s most prominent footballers, playing a key role for both PSG and the Moroccan national team.
