Achraf Hakimi to Stand Trial for Rape Charges Amid World Cup Campaign

Achraf Hakimi, captain of Morocco and one of the most decorated defenders in the modern game, will stand trial for rape after French prosecutors confirmed an investigating judge has ordered the case to go before a criminal court.

The Paris St-Germain full-back is accused of raping a 24-year-old woman at his home in the Paris region in 2023. The public prosecutor's office in Nanterre, to the west of the capital, opened a preliminary investigation in March of that year. That process has now led to a trial order issued in February 2026.

French media report that the 27-year-old recently failed in an appeal to have the case thrown out.

A captain under scrutiny

Hakimi is preparing to lead Morocco into their second World Cup group game, against Scotland on Friday (23:00 BST), with his legal future now set to play out in parallel to his international career. He has consistently denied the allegations.

On Friday, he broke his long public silence with a pointed message on social media.

"The justice system looked me in the eye and said, 'If you weren't famous, there would never have been a case,'" he wrote.

"I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that maintaining my dignity, being patient, and trusting in the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.

"Today, a story that isn't mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. I sometimes feel like I've become an easy target.

"I've been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I'm eagerly awaiting it. Finally, I'll be able to speak."

The date of the trial has not yet been set, but the decision to proceed marks a decisive escalation in a case that has hovered in the background of Hakimi’s club and international career for more than three years.

Plaintiff’s camp hails a turning point

For the woman who made the complaint, the order to send the case to trial is being framed as a moment of vindication.

Rachel-Flore Pardo, the plaintiff's lawyer, said in a statement: "After more than three years of legal proceedings, and after my client was, in her view, defamed and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi's defence, this decision brings her relief and hope.

"Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have the right to a trial.

"Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the wall of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including in the world of men's football."

Her words cut directly into a wider debate about power, celebrity and accountability in the men’s game, where allegations of sexual violence against high-profile players are surfacing with increasing regularity.

World Cup complications on the horizon

For now, Hakimi remains central to Morocco’s World Cup campaign. All three of their group matches are being staged in the United States, where the squad is currently based and where his legal status poses no immediate barrier to participation.

The picture changes if Morocco advance.

The tournament is split across the US, Canada and Mexico until the quarter-final stage, when it moves exclusively to American soil. Should Morocco progress and be scheduled to play in Canada or Mexico, Hakimi could face serious issues entering those countries while awaiting trial on rape charges in France.

The warning signs are already visible. Last week, Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey missed his country’s World Cup opener against Panama after being denied entry to co-hosts Canada.

Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault involving allegations from four women between 2020 and 2022. He is due to stand trial next year.

Canada’s government website states that authorities can deny entry to any person who has "committed or been convicted of a crime". For players under active criminal proceedings, the grey area is shrinking fast.

A glittering career in the shadow of a court date

Hakimi’s football résumé is formidable. He has 97 caps for Morocco, having made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2016, and was a driving force in the side that made history at the 2022 World Cup by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals.

At club level, he joined Paris St-Germain from Inter Milan in 2021 and has since stacked up 13 trophies, including back-to-back Champions League titles over the past two seasons. His surging runs from right-back, his set-piece threat, his leadership – all have helped define Morocco’s rise and PSG’s dominance.

Now his defining battle lies away from the pitch.

A World Cup to navigate, a trial looming in 2026, and a career that may be judged as much by what happens in a French courtroom as by anything he does with a ball at his feet.