A French appeals court upheld the decision to send Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi to trial over a 2023 rape allegation, which he denies.
Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in France on a rape charge after an appeals court rejected his attempt to have the case dismissed.
The Versailles Appeal Court upheld an earlier decision by an investigating judge to send Hakimi before a criminal court. No trial date has been announced as of yet.
The case dates back to 2023, when a 24-year-old woman accused Hakimi of raping her at his home in Paris.
Hakimi was then placed under preliminary investigation in March 2023. Prosecutors requested in 2025 that the case go to trial, and an investigating judge ordered the referral in February 2026.
The player denies the allegation. His lawyers have argued that the case should be dismissed and say the accusation is unsupported by sufficient evidence.
The decision comes during Morocco’s World Cup campaign. Hakimi remains part of the Morocco squad and is expected to continue playing while the legal process moves forward.
If convicted, Hakimi could face up to 15 years in prison under French law.