Achraf Hakimi to Stand Trial for Rape in France
Achraf Hakimi, captain of Morocco and mainstay of Paris St-Germain, will stand trial for rape in France after prosecutors confirmed an investigating judge has ordered the case to proceed.
The decision, taken in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris, follows a preliminary investigation that began in March 2023. A 24-year-old woman has accused the defender of raping her at his home in the French capital that year. Hakimi, now 27, has consistently and publicly denied the allegations.
A trial has been ordered for February 2026, and French media report that a recent appeal from Hakimi’s camp to have the case dismissed has failed. No date has yet been set for the first hearing.
Hakimi breaks his silence
On the eve of Morocco’s second World Cup fixture against Scotland on Friday (23:00 BST), Hakimi chose to speak at length on social media after largely keeping his counsel during the investigation.
"The justice system 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 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 noise of full stadiums, these are the words of a man braced for a very different kind of scrutiny.
Plaintiff’s camp hails decision
On the other side of the case, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, welcomed the judge’s ruling in a written statement, describing the move to trial as a key moment after a long and bruising process.
"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," she said.
"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."
The stage is now set for a high-profile courtroom battle, one that will run in parallel with the peak years of Hakimi’s career.
World Cup complications on the horizon
For now, Hakimi’s focus is on the World Cup. Morocco are based in the United States for the group stage, with all three of their matches scheduled there. That offers short-term clarity. Beyond that, the picture blurs.
The tournament’s knockout rounds are spread across the three co-hosts – the US, Canada and Mexico – until the quarter-finals, which will be played exclusively on American soil. If Morocco progress and are drawn to play in Canada or Mexico, Hakimi could face serious entry issues.
Canada’s government states it can deny entry to any person who has "committed or been convicted of a crime". While Hakimi has not been convicted of any offence, the existence of an ordered rape trial in France raises the possibility of complications at the border.
The risk is not theoretical. Last week, Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey missed his country’s World Cup opener against Panama after being denied entry to co-hosts Canada. Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022. He is due to stand trial next year.
For national team coaches and federations, such legal realities are becoming part of tournament planning in a way few could have imagined a decade ago.
A stellar career under a cloud
On the pitch, Hakimi remains one of the most influential full-backs in world football. He has 97 caps for Morocco, having made his debut in 2016 at just 17. His surging runs and relentless energy were central to the Morocco side that stunned the world in 2022, becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
At club level, he joined Paris St-Germain from Inter Milan in 2021 and has collected 13 major trophies with the French champions, including back-to-back Champions League titles over the past two seasons. Few players in his position have matched his blend of pace, end product and big-game temperament.
Yet as he leads Morocco out against Scotland, the narrative around him is no longer purely sporting. Every tackle, every sprint, every post-match interview now sits in the shadow of a looming trial that will ask questions far beyond tactics and form.
The next two years will define more than Hakimi’s legacy as a footballer. They will decide how – and where – he is allowed to play out the prime of his career.
