Achraf Hakimi appeals to France's top court in rape case

Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has appealed to France's Court of Cassation after a lower appeals court upheld an order sending him to trial on a 2023 rape allegation he has repeatedly denied. The move is his latest bid to halt the criminal case while he continues to play at the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Key Takeaways

• Hakimi filed an appeal with France's Court of Cassation after the Versailles Court of Appeal confirmed on June 19 that he must stand trial.
• The case stems from a February 2023 complaint by a woman who was 24 at the time; Hakimi has denied wrongdoing and says he was falsely accused.
• His lawyer, Fanny Colin, confirmed the appeal to Reuters; no trial date has been set.
• Hakimi remains with Morocco at the World Cup, where he recently said he is eager to face trial and tell his side of the story.
• The Court of Cassation reviews legal and procedural issues, not the facts of the case.

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi is taking his fight against a French rape prosecution to the country's highest criminal court. French broadcaster BFMTV reported that the 27-year-old filed the appeal after losing a prior challenge to an investigating judge's decision to refer him for trial, according to Yahoo Sports.

The Versailles Court of Appeal upheld that referral on June 19, confirming that the PSG defender would face trial in criminal court over the alleged rape of a woman in 2023. A source close to the case told AFP that Hakimi lodged the new appeal with the Court of Cassation on Friday, as reported by outlets including Big News Network.

What did Achraf Hakimi appeal and why?

Hakimi is not appealing a conviction. No trial has been held. Instead, his legal team is challenging the decision that there is sufficient basis to send the case to a criminal court.

The Court of Cassation is France's top court for civil and criminal matters. It does not re-examine witness credibility or factual disputes. It reviews whether lower courts correctly applied legal and procedural rules.

If the Court of Cassation overturns the ruling, the case could return to an investigating chamber for reconsideration. If the appeal fails, the matter proceeds toward trial in the Hauts-de-Seine criminal court.

What are the allegations against Hakimi?

The complaint dates to February 2023, when a woman then aged 24 told police in the Val-de-Marne region southeast of Paris that Hakimi had raped her. French media reported at the time that she said she met Hakimi on Instagram in January 2023 and travelled to his home in a taxi he ordered.

She alleged that he kissed her, touched her without consent, and then raped her. Hakimi faced preliminary rape charges in March 2023 and has denied the allegations from the start. His lawyer has argued that exculpatory elements uncovered during the investigation would, in an ordinary case, have led to dismissal.

The plaintiff's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said after the June 19 ruling that every decision in the case had favoured the claimant and that she would fight to the end for justice.

Does the case affect Hakimi's World Cup role?

Hakimi is currently playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America as Morocco's captain. Yahoo Sports reported that he said during the tournament he was eagerly awaiting trial so he could tell his side of the story. Shortly after the Versailles ruling, he wrote on X that he had been "waiting for this trial since day one."

No trial date has been announced, and reporting from The Athletic has framed the legal process as separate from his football duties for now. Morocco were preparing for a first knockout-round match against the Netherlands on Monday at the time of the appeal reports.

High-profile sports cases that intersect with criminal courts often draw intense public scrutiny. For more coverage of similar legal battles involving public figures, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section.

What happens next in the French legal process?

Hakimi's lawyer, Fanny Colin, told Reuters on Friday that he would appeal to France's highest court after the June 19 confirmation that he should stand trial. A date for any criminal trial has not been fixed.

The Court of Cassation appeal is the latest step in a case that has run since prosecutors opened an investigation in 2023. Hakimi, a twice Champions League winner with PSG and a key player for Morocco, has maintained throughout that the accusations are false.

Until the Court of Cassation rules, the trial order from the Versailles appeals court remains in place. The outcome will determine whether the case advances to a full criminal trial or returns for further judicial review.