FIFA World Cup 2026: Rape Accused Morocco Captain Achraf Hakimi Set For Trial In France After Court Dismisses Appeal

Morocco captain and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi is set to stand trial in France after prosecutors confirmed legal proceedings over a rape allegation dating back to 2023. According to reports in French media, the 27-year-old recently failed in an appeal seeking to have the case dismissed.

A 24-year-old woman accused Hakimi of raping her at his home near Paris in February 2023. French authorities opened a preliminary investigation the following month, and an investigating judge ordered a trial in February 2026.

Hakimi has consistently denied the allegations. In a statement posted on social media on Friday, the Morocco international said he had remained silent for years because he trusted the judicial process.

"The justice system looked me in the eye and said, 'If you weren't famous, there would never have been a case,'" Hakimi wrote. He added that he was now "eagerly awaiting" the trial and hoped to finally tell his side of the story.

The plaintiff's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, welcomed the decision to proceed to trial, saying it brought her client "relief and hope" after more than three years of legal proceedings. She said her client felt she had been heard by the justice system and expressed hope that the case would encourage other victims of sexual violence to come forward.

No trial date has been announced.

The development comes while Hakimi is leading Morocco's campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Morocco's group-stage matches are being played in the United States, but the defender could face complications travelling to Canada or Mexico if the team advances to the knockout rounds and fixtures are scheduled outside the US.

Hakimi remains one of Morocco's most influential players. Since making his international debut as a teenager in 2016, he has earned nearly 100 caps and played a key role in Morocco's historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the best-ever finish by an African nation. At club level, he has enjoyed major success with Paris Saint-Germain, winning multiple domestic and European titles since joining from Inter Milan in 2021.