PSG’s Hakimi to Face Rape Trial as Court Rejects Final Appeal

Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in France after the country’s highest court rejected his final appeal against a decision to send him to trial over a rape allegation.

The Court of Cassation rejected Hakimi’s appeal on Wednesday, clearing the way for proceedings before the criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department west of Paris.

The 27-year-old footballer has consistently denied the allegation and maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual. His lawyers stressed that the Court of Cassation did not examine the merits of the case, which will instead be considered during the trial.

The case dates back to February 2023, when a woman accused Hakimi of sexually assaulting her at his home in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris.

Hakimi was subsequently charged with rape. An investigating judge ordered him to stand trial in February 2026, after which his defence challenged the decision.

The Versailles Court of Appeal upheld the decision in June, prompting Hakimi to take the matter to the Court of Cassation, France’s highest court for criminal and civil matters.

Wednesday’s ruling represents the final legal challenge available to Hakimi against his referral to trial.

Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, said the allegations had not been assessed by the Court of Cassation and would be examined publicly during the forthcoming proceedings.

She said Hakimi had consistently denied the accusations and had cooperated with investigators throughout the case.

The lawyer representing the complainant, Rachel-Flore Pardo, welcomed the decision and said her client remained determined to pursue the case after more than three years of legal proceedings.

The complainant has alleged that Hakimi assaulted her at his home after the pair had communicated on Instagram.

The footballer, who also captained Morocco during the 2026 World Cup, has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

Paris Saint-Germain has also reiterated that Hakimi has consistently denied the allegations and continues to benefit from the presumption of innocence.

The date for the trial has not yet been set.

The case will now move from the pre-trial legal process to a criminal court, where evidence and competing accounts will be examined before a final judgment is reached.