Moroccan and Paris Saint-Germain footballer Achraf Hakimi, currently in the United States for the World Cup, will stand trial for rape in France. The Versailles Court of Appeal has dismissed Hakimi’s appeal against the indictment issued in February, confirming that he will be tried in the departmental correctional court of Hauts-de-Seine.
Hakimi is accused of raping a 24-year-old woman in February 2023, whom he met on Instagram. The alleged victim claims that non-consensual touching occurred at Hakimi’s residence before the assault. She stated she pushed him away and texted a friend for help.
Following the confirmation of the trial, Hakimi took to social media, expressing his anticipation for the proceedings. He stated, “I have been waiting for this trial since day one and I am eager for it,” asserting that he is being targeted due to his fame and status as an easy target.
In August 2025, the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office requested that the player be brought to trial, with potential penalties of up to 15 years in prison. Hakimi has consistently denied all accusations, previously stating in a Canal+ television interview last September that he was a victim of blackmail.
Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, expressed disappointment, stating that the court failed to consider “the contradictions and lies of the complainant, her concealment of information from judicial authorities, her obstruction of the truth, and even her psychological assessments which confirmed her ambivalence and lack of clarity regarding the facts.” Conversely, the complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, commented that this decision “will help other women and contribute to breaking the bastion of denial and impunity that surrounds sexual violence, including in the world of men’s football.”
Hakimi’s trial is scheduled to take place in the coming months. In the interim, he continues to play for the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain.