Achraf Hakimi to Stand Trial for Rape Amid World Cup Pressure

The legal battle that has shadowed Achraf Hakimi for more than a year has moved into its most serious phase, with French authorities ordering the Morocco captain to stand trial for rape.

The case stems from an incident in February 2023, when a young woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted at the defender’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt, on the outskirts of Paris. After a lengthy judicial inquiry, prosecutors in Hauts-de-Seine concluded that investigators had gathered enough evidence against the 27-year-old to send the case directly to a full criminal trial.

An appeals court has now confirmed that referral, clearing the way for proceedings that will place one of the game’s most high-profile full-backs under intense legal and public scrutiny.

Hakimi breaks his silence

Hakimi, who had largely kept quiet in public while the investigation unfolded, reacted forcefully once the decision became official.

He took to social media to deliver his version of events and to denounce the process that led to the trial order.

“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.”

It was a pointed, emotional statement from a player more accustomed to shaping headlines with his performances for Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco than with courtroom developments.

Civil party hails ‘consistent’ step toward justice

On the other side of the case, the woman’s legal team greeted the ruling as a landmark step.

Rachel-Flore Pardo, lawyer for the civil party, said the decision from the investigating chamber aligned with the weight of the evidence and with the stance of every major legal actor involved so far.

“The investigating chamber has ruled that there is sufficient evidence against Achraf Hakimi for having committed rape,” she said. “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 words cut to the heart of the wider debate: a sport that has often been accused of closing ranks around its stars now finds one of them heading for a criminal court, with the outcome likely to echo far beyond a single dressing room.

Defence speaks of ‘false accusation’

Hakimi’s camp has mounted a starkly different narrative.

His legal team has repeatedly attacked the decision to proceed, insisting that the investigation unearthed what they describe as “a multitude of exculpatory elements” that, in their view, should have ended the matter long before trial.

“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 argued. “Mr. Achraf Hakimi is now eagerly awaiting his trial so that he can finally speak publicly about the false accusation against him.”

The battle lines are clear: one side framing the ruling as a vital affirmation for victims, the other portraying it as a grave miscarriage that only a public hearing can correct.

World Cup pressure, courtroom shadow

All of this breaks at a delicate moment for Hakimi on the pitch.

He is currently captaining Morocco at the 2026 World Cup, carrying the expectations of a nation still energised by its historic run at the previous tournament. On Friday night, he is due to lead his country into a pivotal second group-stage match against Scotland.

The stakes were already high. Now they are loaded with an extra layer of tension.

Every touch, every run down the right flank, will come with the knowledge that a criminal trial is looming in France. The noise around him will not be the usual transfer speculation or tactical debate, but questions about evidence, testimony and legal timelines.

PSG watch and wait

Back in Paris, his club side Paris Saint-Germain are watching closely.

Pre-season plans are taking shape, yet the club’s hierarchy knows a definitive trial date is expected to be set in France in the near future. Any schedule will cut into training, travel, and potentially competitive fixtures, depending on how quickly the court moves.

For now, Hakimi remains a key figure for both club and country, a world-class defender operating under a cloud that will not lift until a verdict is delivered.

The next time he walks down a tunnel, it will be toward a World Cup group game. Before long, it will be toward a courtroom.