Written by: Mohammed Omran
A surprising legal development has put one of the most prominent Arab and international football stars in the spotlight, as the Moroccan national team and Paris Saint-Germain player faces Achraf Hakimi A legal path that could lead him to a criminal trial in France on charges of rape, after the appeal stages ended and the appeals submitted in the case, which dates back to 2023, were rejected, amid continued denials from the player and his confirmation of his full readiness to face the judiciary and reveal the truth before the court.
After the appeals were rejected, will player Achraf Hakimi face trial in France on charges of rape?
The French Court of Appeal in Versailles, on Friday, June 19, 2026, upheld the decision to refer Moroccan international star Achraf Hakimi, defender of Paris Saint-Germain, to trial on charges of rape, rejecting all the legal arguments presented by his defense team to close the case.
The court ruling confirmed the referral decision issued last February, after a hearing held in the investigation chamber, during which the player sought a final decision to close the case, but the court confirmed the continuation of legal proceedings against him.
The case dates back to 2023, when the Nanterre prosecutor's office opened an investigation following allegations from a 24-year-old woman who said she had been raped, prompting judicial authorities to begin a lengthy legal process in the case.
According to French media, the Versailles Court of Appeal rejected the player's appeal, officially paving the way for his referral to a criminal court, a move that means his trial is about to begin, although no official date has been set yet.
In his first comment, Hakimi denied the accusations against him, stressing that he has been waiting for the trial since the beginning. He said via his account on the “X” platform that the case touches his life, his family and the truth, indicating that he considers himself an “easy target” in this context.
He added that he is looking forward to the trial in order to present his version of events before the court, stressing that the time has come to tell the whole truth.
So far, there have been no official comments from Paris Saint-Germain or the Moroccan Football Federation regarding the case, and it is unclear whether the player will participate in upcoming matches amid this legal development.
