Achraf Hakimi to Stand Trial for Rape Allegations

Achraf Hakimi will stand trial for rape after French prosecutors confirmed an investigating judge has ordered the Morocco captain to face court over allegations dating back to 2023.

The Paris St-Germain defender is accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his home in the French capital last year. A preliminary investigation was opened by the public prosecutor's office in Nanterre, in western Paris, in March 2023.

That investigation has now moved into its most serious phase. In February 2026, a trial was ordered, and French media report that Hakimi, 27, has recently failed in an appeal to have the case thrown out.

Hakimi breaks his silence

Hakimi, who has consistently denied the accusations, chose the eve of Morocco’s second World Cup fixture to speak publicly in stark, emotional terms.

"The justice system looked me in the eye and said, 'If you weren't famous, there would never have been a case,'" he wrote on social media on Friday.

"I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that maintaining my dignity, being patient, and trusting in the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.

"Today, a story that isn't mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. I sometimes feel like I've become an easy target.

"I've been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I'm eagerly awaiting it. Finally, I'll be able to speak."

For a player used to the roar of stadiums, those are the words of someone bracing for a very different kind of arena.

Hakimi is set to captain Morocco in their second World Cup group game against Scotland on Friday (23:00 BST), carrying the weight of a nation’s expectations while a criminal trial looms over his future.

Plaintiff’s camp welcomes decision

On the other side of the case, the woman who accused Hakimi has pushed through more than three years of legal proceedings. Her lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, described the judge’s decision as a crucial moment.

"After more than three years of legal proceedings, and after my client was, in her view, defamed and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi's defence, this decision brings her relief and hope.

"Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have the right to a trial.

"Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the wall of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including in the world of men's football."

A trial date has not yet been set, but the lines are already sharply drawn: a global star proclaiming his innocence, and an accuser who believes the court’s decision marks a step toward accountability.

World Cup complications beyond the pitch

For Morocco, the timing could hardly be more complex. All three of their group-stage fixtures are being played in the United States, where the squad is currently based. On the pitch, that offers stability. Off it, the geography of this World Cup could soon pose a serious problem.

If Morocco progress to the knockout rounds, they may be scheduled to play in Canada or Mexico. With Hakimi under order to stand trial for rape, his ability to cross certain borders is no longer guaranteed.

The issue is not theoretical. Last week, Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey missed his country’s World Cup opener against Panama after being denied entry to Canada, one of the tournament’s co-hosts.

Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations from four women between 2020 and 2022. He is due to stand trial next year.

Canada’s government website states that authorities can deny entry to any person who has "committed or been convicted of a crime". That wording leaves a grey area for high-profile individuals facing charges but not yet convicted, and it is in that space that Hakimi’s World Cup could be disrupted.

The tournament is shared between the United States, Canada and Mexico up to the quarter-final stage, before the competition is staged exclusively in the US. Any Moroccan journey deep into the knockouts may therefore be shadowed by immigration and legal uncertainty around their captain.

A career under a harsh spotlight

On the field, Hakimi’s rise has been relentless. He made his international debut for Morocco in 2016 at just 17, and has since collected 97 caps. His surging runs from full-back and set-piece threat made him a central figure in the Morocco team that stunned the world in 2022, becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.

At club level, he joined Paris St-Germain from Inter Milan in 2021 and has stacked up silverware, including 13 trophies and back-to-back Champions League titles in the past two seasons. Few defenders in the modern game have matched his blend of pace, timing and end product.

Now, that glittering career runs alongside a criminal case that will define how he is viewed far beyond football. The legal process will take place in France, the footballing drama in North America, and Hakimi stands at the intersection of both — captain of a nation, cornerstone of a superclub, and a defendant waiting for his day in court.

For Morocco, the question is no longer just how far they can go at this World Cup. It is how long their leader will be able to walk the fine line between the stadium tunnel and the courtroom door.