Hakimi faces French court after decision to refer him for trial

The French Court of Cassation confirmed today, Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the decision to refer Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi to trial on charges of rape, marking a new phase in the case that began its proceedings in 2023 before the French judiciary.

The Court of Appeal in Versailles upheld last June the decision to refer Paris Saint-Germain player Achraf Hakimi to a criminal court to consider the charges against him, before Hakimi filed an appeal to the Court of Cassation, the highest judicial authority in France.

With the referral decision being confirmed, the process related to the appeal ends, paving the way for the case to move to the trial phase, where the elements of the file will be presented before the competent court, allowing both the defense and prosecution to present their arguments and defenses.

The case dates back to February 2023, when a young woman filed a complaint accusing Achraf Hakimi of rape. Since the beginning of the investigations, the Moroccan player has denied the allegations against him and has maintained his account of events. The public prosecutor's office in Nanterre requested in August 2025 to refer him to trial, before the investigating judge issued the referral decision in February 2026, based on what he considered sufficient elements to continue the legal proceedings.

The published data regarding the case confirms that Hakimi denies committing any rape, while the case is based on the plaintiff's account and several elements that were examined during the investigation. Meanwhile, the player's defense provided a different interpretation of the facts.

The case is receiving widespread attention in France and Morocco, given Achraf Hakimi's status as the captain of the Moroccan national team and star of Paris Saint-Germain. However, the decision to refer him to trial does not constitute a conviction, as the player remains presumed innocent until a final court ruling is issued.

The Court of Cassation has confirmed the referral decision, bringing Achraf Hakimi's case into a new judicial phase as the trial date is awaited and deliberations in front of the competent court are set to unfold.