Phoenix 24
The PSG defender denies the allegation and says he welcomes the opportunity to testify.
VERSAILLES, FRANCE — June 2026. A French appeals court has confirmed that Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over an alleged rape reported by a young woman in February 2023. The Versailles Court of Appeal upheld the investigating judge’s earlier decision to refer the Paris Saint-Germain defender to the Hauts-de-Seine departmental criminal court. Hakimi’s legal team had appealed that decision and requested that the proceedings be dismissed. The date of the trial has not yet been established.
The court announced its decision while Hakimi was participating with Morocco in the 2026 World Cup. The defender was preparing for his national team’s second group-stage match against Scotland in Boston when the ruling became public. The timing has placed the judicial case alongside one of the most important sporting competitions of his career. However, the proceedings in France remain legally separate from his responsibilities with the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Versailles court said the evidence collected during the judicial investigation was sufficient to justify Hakimi’s appearance before a criminal tribunal. That determination does not constitute a conviction or establish his guilt before the trial takes place. Under the presumption of innocence, Hakimi must continue to be considered innocent unless the court reaches a final guilty verdict. The future trial will allow prosecutors, the complainant and the defense to present and challenge the evidence before the judges.
Hakimi responded publicly shortly after the appeals court announced its decision. He said he had been waiting for the trial since the beginning of the case and now welcomed the opportunity to speak. The footballer indicated that the proceedings would finally allow him to explain his position fully before the court. His response reflected the defense’s consistent rejection of the allegation since the investigation began.
The case originated from a complaint involving a woman who was 24 years old at the time of the alleged events. She said she first contacted Hakimi through Instagram in January 2023 before later visiting his home. According to her account, the footballer arranged for a chauffeured vehicle to transport her to the residence. She alleges that Hakimi kissed and touched her without consent before raping her.
The complainant said she managed to push Hakimi away and leave the residence after contacting a friend by text message. Her account subsequently led French authorities to open a judicial investigation into the allegations. Hakimi was formally charged and placed under judicial supervision in March 2023. The investigating process continued for several years before the case was referred for trial at the end of February 2026.
During a hearing held in May, Hakimi asked the court to dismiss the proceedings. His defense argued that the available evidence did not justify sending him to trial. The appeals court rejected that position and concluded that the case should be examined by the competent criminal tribunal. The ruling means the central allegations and the defense’s arguments will now be evaluated during a full judicial proceeding.
A referral to trial in the French judicial system means that investigating judges believe sufficient indications exist for the case to be heard. It does not mean that the court has already determined the accuracy of the complainant’s account. The defense will be able to question evidence, present its own material and contest the prosecution’s interpretation of events. The complainant will also have the opportunity to provide testimony and participate in the proceedings through her legal representatives.
Hakimi remains one of Morocco’s most prominent footballers and an important figure for Paris Saint-Germain. His professional status has generated significant international attention around a case that would otherwise remain primarily within the French criminal justice system. Media coverage will require careful distinction between confirmed procedural developments and allegations that have not yet been proven. The public prominence of the accused does not alter the legal standards governing the presumption of innocence or the rights of the complainant.
Paris Saint-Germain had not announced any immediate sporting measures against the player following the appeals court’s decision. Hakimi remained available to Morocco during the World Cup as the national team continued its group-stage campaign. Any future consequences for his club or international career may depend on the trial schedule and the final judicial outcome. Until then, the ruling concerns his obligation to appear before the criminal court rather than any determination of criminal responsibility.
The case is expected to attract close attention in France, Morocco and the wider football community. Sexual violence proceedings involving internationally known athletes frequently generate intense public discussion and competing narratives outside the courtroom. Legal specialists generally emphasize that the evidence must be examined through the judicial process rather than decided through media coverage or social networks. Both the complainant’s right to be heard and Hakimi’s right to a fair trial must remain protected throughout the proceedings.
The next procedural step will involve setting a date for the trial in Hauts-de-Seine. The court will then establish the timetable for testimony, presentation of evidence and arguments from both sides. The duration and precise structure of the proceedings will depend on the complexity of the case and the tribunal’s calendar. No final conclusion can be reached until the judges have examined the entire evidentiary record.
The appeals ruling moves the case toward trial while leaving the final determination of responsibility entirely in the hands of the French court.