PSG Star Achraf Hakimi To Stand Trial For Rape, Says 'Justice Looked Me In The Eyes'

Published 19 June 2026 · sports

PSG Star Achraf Hakimi To Stand Trial For Rape, Says 'Justice Looked Me In The Eyes' Published By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 17:14 IST

PSG Star Achraf Hakimi To Stand Trial For Rape, Says 'Justice Looked Me In The Eyes' Published By, Last Updated: June 19, 2026, 17:14 IST Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in France on a rape charge after an appeals court upheld the case. PSG's Achraf Hakimi (AFP) Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial on a rape charge after a French appeals court upheld a previous ruling that there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed. The Versailles Court of Appeal in France on Friday rejected Hakimi’s challenge to a February decision by an investigating judge, who had followed prosecutors’ recommendation that the player face trial. The trial will determine whether Hakimi, a two-time Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain, bears criminal responsibility for the allegations. A trial date has not yet been set. Hakimi, widely regarded as one of the world’s top right-backs, has consistently denied the allegations.

He was placed under formal investigation in March 2023 after a 24-year-old woman accused him of raping her at his home in a Paris suburb. The ruling comes when Hakimi is just hours before Morocco’s match against Scotland at the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026. Reacting to the decision, the complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said her client felt a sense of ‘relief and hope’ after more than three years of legal proceedings. “Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have her case heard at trial," Pardo said. “Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including within the world of men’s football." Hakimi responded in a post on X, arguing that the case would not have reached this stage if he were not a high-profile footballer. Despite appealing against the trial, Hakimi said he had been ‘waiting for this trial since day one’ and was now looking forward to his opportunity to speak.

“Justice looked me in the eyes and said to me: ‘If you weren’t famous, there never would have been a case.’ I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made. Today, a story that is not mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. Sometimes I feel like I’ve become an easy target. I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I will be able to speak. At the same time, Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, criticized the decision, maintaining that evidence uncovered during the investigation should have led to the case being dismissed. “The multitude of exculpatory elements uncovered during the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to the dismissal of the proceedings," Colin said.