In a development that has rocked the global football community, a French court formally confirmed on Friday that Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco national team captain Achraf Hakimi will face trial on rape charges. The 27-year-old star player, who was preparing for Morocco’s second World Cup qualifying match against Scotland on the same day the ruling was handed down, has repeatedly rejected the accusations against him and says he is ready to clear his name in court. Hakimi took to social media platform X following the court’s announcement to restate his denial, noting that the upcoming proceeding will finally give him the opportunity to present his side of the story directly.
The case dates back to February 2023, when a 24-year-old woman filed a formal complaint with police in Val-De-Marne, a department southeast of Paris. According to initial police reports, the accuser—who has chosen to speak publicly for the first time under the pseudonym “Jeanne” in a recent article published by Mediapart—says she met Hakimi on Instagram one month before filing the report. She claims she traveled to the footballer’s home via a taxi he ordered, where he allegedly assaulted her sexually without her consent. The accuser says she eventually escaped Hakimi’s residence after pushing him away and alerting a friend via text message, who then picked her up from the location.
To date, court officials have not set an official start date for the trial, which will be held at the criminal court in France’s Hauts-de-Seine department. Fanny Colin, Hakimi’s defense attorney, emphasized that Friday’s ruling only confirms the case will proceed to trial, and does not indicate any finding of guilt. “This confirmation was expected. Nothing here says that he is guilty of anything, he remains steadfast in his defence,” Colin told reporters.
For the accuser and her legal team, however, the court’s decision marks a significant milestone in the case. Rachel-Flore Pardo, the plaintiff’s lawyer, stated that the ruling has brought her client “relief and hope.” Speaking to Mediapart in her first public comments on the case this Thursday, the accuser explained why she chose to move forward with the legal process. “I wanted a trial to defend myself, to be heard,” she said, adding, “I want to explain myself. I want people to believe me.”
As one of the highest-profile active footballers in Europe, Hakimi’s case has drawn intense international media scrutiny, with attention focused on how the legal process will unfold amid his ongoing club and international career.