Paris Saint-Germain defender and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has filed an appeal to France's Court of Cassation following a ruling that he should stand trial on a rape charge. The 27-year-old lodged the appeal on June 26, 2026, after the Versailles Court of Appeal upheld the decision on June 19 to send him to a criminal court over the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 [1, 2, 3].
Hakimi has denied the allegations since the proceedings began. He called the situation difficult but said he is "waiting for this trial since day one," underscoring his intention to contest the case vigorously [3].
The alleged incident dates back to February 2023, when a 24-year-old woman accused Hakimi of raping her at his home in the Val-de-Marne region near Paris. She had met Hakimi on Instagram and accepted a taxi he arranged. The woman said Hakimi kissed her, touched her without consent, and raped her [3].
Hakimi is currently with the Moroccan national team competing at the 2026 World Cup in the United States. As team captain and a key player, he faces the legal proceedings while still active on the world stage [1, 2, 3].
No trial date has been set as of June 26, 2026 [1, 2]. The plaintiff’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said the court rulings so far have all favored her client. She said, "Every decision handed down in this case has been in favour of the claimant. She will fight to the very end to obtain justice" [3].
Hakimi’s appeal now moves to France’s highest court, which will decide whether to allow the criminal trial to proceed. The case remains active without a scheduled trial date at this time [1, 2].
