Morocco captain and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi is set to stand trial in France over a rape allegation dating back to 2023, French prosecutors have confirmed.
The case stems from a complaint filed by a 24-year-old woman who accused the football star of raping her at his residence in Paris. Following a preliminary investigation launched by authorities in Nanterre, a suburb west of the French capital, an investigating judge ordered that the matter proceed to trial.
French media reports indicate that Hakimi recently failed in an appeal seeking to have the case dismissed, clearing the way for court proceedings to move forward. A trial date has not yet been announced.
The 27-year-old defender has consistently denied the allegations and has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation.
In a statement posted on social media, Hakimi said he had remained silent for years out of respect for the judicial process but was now looking forward to presenting his side of the story in court.
“I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one,” he wrote, adding that he believed the proceedings would provide an opportunity for the truth to emerge.
Meanwhile, the complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, welcomed the decision to move ahead with a trial, describing it as a significant step for her client after more than three years of legal proceedings.
The development comes as Hakimi continues to lead Morocco at the FIFA World Cup in the United States. However, questions have emerged over whether the pending trial could complicate future travel to Canada or Mexico should Morocco advance to stages of the tournament scheduled in those countries.
Canadian immigration authorities reserve the right to deny entry to foreign nationals in certain criminal cases, although no decision regarding Hakimi’s eligibility to enter the country has been announced.
One of Africa’s most celebrated footballers, Hakimi has earned nearly 100 international caps and played a key role in Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. Since joining Paris Saint-Germain from Inter Milan in 2021, he has won multiple domestic and European titles, cementing his reputation as one of the world’s leading defenders.
The trial is expected to attract significant international attention given Hakimi’s profile in global football and the broader conversation surrounding allegations of sexual violence in sport.