Achraf Hakimi to Stand Trial for Rape Amid World Cup Campaign

The legal shadow hanging over Achraf Hakimi 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 dates back to February 2023, when a young woman reported a sexual assault at Hakimi’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the outskirts of Paris. After a three-year inquiry, prosecutors formally requested a trial, and the appeals court has now confirmed that the 27-year-old Morocco international will face a full criminal hearing.

Judicial authorities in Hauts-de-Seine ruled that the investigation had produced enough evidence to send the case directly to trial, a decision that pushes one of the game’s most prominent full-backs into the centre of a high-profile courtroom battle.

Hakimi breaks silence

Hakimi, who had largely avoided public comment while the investigation unfolded, reacted to the development on social media with a pointed message about his treatment by the justice system.

"The court looked me in the eye and said: 'If you weren't famous, there would never have been a case,'" he 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 and frustration from his camp as the case moves out of the shadows of the investigating chambers and into the glare of a public trial.

Civil party hails ‘consistent’ decision

On the other side of the legal divide, the woman’s representatives welcomed the ruling as a vital step in a long and draining process.

Rachel-Flore Pardo, lawyer for the civil party, said the appeals court’s decision matched the weight of the evidence gathered.

"The investigating chamber has ruled that there is sufficient evidence against Achraf Hakimi for having committed rape," she stated. "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 cut straight into one of the sport’s most sensitive issues: how elite football handles allegations of sexual violence around its stars, and whether victims feel able to come forward against figures with global profiles and powerful institutions behind them.

Defence speaks of ‘false accusation’

Hakimi’s legal team has taken a starkly different line, attacking the decision to proceed to trial and insisting that crucial elements in his favour have been ignored.

His lawyer argued that the material gathered during the inquiry should have ended the case long before it reached this stage.

"The multitude of exculpatory elements revealed by the investigation and the judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to a dismissal," the lawyer said. "Mr. Achraf Hakimi is now eagerly awaiting his trial so that he can finally speak publicly about the false accusation against him."

The language is uncompromising. For Hakimi’s camp, the courtroom is no longer a threat to be navigated but the stage on which they believe he can clear his name.

World Cup captain under intense glare

All of this unfolds at a brutally delicate moment in Hakimi’s career. He is not just a PSG regular or a Champions League fixture; he is currently captaining Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.

While most players at the tournament are consumed by tactical meetings and recovery sessions, Hakimi must carry the weight of an impending criminal trial into a crucial second group-stage match against Scotland on Friday evening.

The stakes are huge on the pitch. Off it, the pressure is relentless.

How he manages that dual burden — leading a nation while defending himself against one of the most serious charges in criminal law — will be watched far beyond Morocco’s fanbase. Every performance, every gesture, every missed tackle will be read through the prism of a case that now refuses to sit quietly in the background.

PSG watching, France waiting

Back in Paris, his club will be tracking every development. Paris Saint-Germain, already accustomed to operating under intense scrutiny, must now plan a pre-season around a player who faces a looming trial date in France.

A definitive schedule for the proceedings has yet to be set, but with the appeals court’s decision, that calendar is expected to take shape soon. When it does, it will not only shape Hakimi’s immediate future but may also force PSG and Morocco to confront hard decisions about selection, leadership, and image.

For now, the defender walks a tightrope: World Cup captain on one side, criminal defendant on the other, with the outcome of both battles still to be decided.