Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in France over a rape allegation after the country’s highest court rejected his appeal on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
France’s Court of Cassation rejected Hakimi’s challenge against the decision sending him before the criminal court of Hauts-de-Seine, leaving the earlier ruling in place.
The case concerns an allegation dating to February 2023. Hakimi has consistently denied the allegation and has maintained that the accusation is false.
The latest court decision does not determine whether Hakimi is guilty or innocent. It means that the legal proceedings can proceed to trial, where the allegations and the defence case will be examined.
Court Rejects Hakimi’s Appeal
Hakimi had appealed to the Court of Cassation after the Versailles Court of Appeal confirmed in June that he should face trial.
The Court of Cassation is France’s highest court for reviewing questions of law. It does not conduct a new trial of the facts in the same manner as a trial court.
According to reporting by Le Monde, the Court of Cassation confirmed on Wednesday that Hakimi’s appeal had been subject to a “non-admission”, clearing the way for the criminal proceedings to continue.
The decision followed Hakimi’s June appeal against the Versailles ruling.
The footballer’s legal team had sought to challenge the decision that sent him to trial.
Hakimi Has Denied the Allegation
Hakimi has rejected the accusation since the case became public in 2023.
After the Versailles Court of Appeal confirmed the decision to send him to trial in June, Hakimi said he had been waiting for the trial and wanted an opportunity to present his side.
His position has remained that the allegation against him is false.
The rejection of his appeal does not amount to a conviction. Hakimi remains entitled to defend himself during the trial, and the allegations remain allegations until determined by the court.
Case Dates Back to 2023
The case began in February 2023 after a woman reported an alleged sexual assault involving Hakimi to French police.
The allegation concerned an encounter at the footballer’s home in the Paris region.
An investigation followed, and prosecutors later sought to have Hakimi sent to trial.
In February 2026, an investigating judge ordered that Hakimi face trial for rape after the investigation.
Hakimi appealed that decision, but the Versailles Court of Appeal upheld the referral in June.
He subsequently took the matter to the Court of Cassation.
The latest ruling has now exhausted that challenge to the decision to send him to trial.
Versailles Court Had Earlier Found Grounds for Trial
When the Versailles Court of Appeal confirmed the referral in June, it said the investigation had produced sufficient grounds for Hakimi to be sent before the criminal court.
The court’s decision followed several years of judicial investigation into the allegation.
The defence had sought a dismissal of the case, but the appeal court rejected the challenge.
The ruling did not establish Hakimi’s guilt. Instead, it determined that the case should proceed to a full criminal trial.
That distinction is important because a decision to send a defendant to trial is not the same as a final judgment after evidence has been tested before the trial court.
Hakimi’s Defence Remains in Place
Hakimi’s defence has consistently disputed the allegation.
His lawyer, Fanny Colin, had previously challenged the decision to send her client to trial and later pursued the appeal to France’s highest court.
Following the Court of Cassation decision, the defence position remains relevant to the eventual trial, where Hakimi will have the opportunity to present evidence and arguments in response to the accusation.
As of Wednesday, September 23, the latest reports did not indicate that Hakimi had been convicted of any offence arising from the case.
Why the Decision Matters
The Court of Cassation ruling removes the latest legal challenge to Hakimi’s referral for trial.
For the prosecution, the decision means the case can move forward to the criminal court without the referral being overturned through the appeal that Hakimi lodged after the June ruling.
For Hakimi, the next stage will be the trial itself, where the allegations will be examined through the French judicial process.
The case has attracted significant international attention because of Hakimi’s status as one of Morocco’s leading footballers and a prominent Paris Saint-Germain player.
He has also been an important figure in Moroccan football, having represented the national team at major international competitions.
The public profile surrounding the case has made careful distinction between an allegation, a decision to prosecute and a conviction particularly important.
No Trial Date Yet
The Court of Cassation’s decision does not itself set a trial date.
According to the latest reports, the date for the proceedings before the Hauts-de-Seine criminal court has yet to be determined.
The next formal stage will therefore involve arrangements for the criminal trial.
At that hearing, prosecutors will present their case, Hakimi will have the opportunity to defend himself, and the court will ultimately determine the legal outcome based on the evidence presented.
What Happens Next
With Hakimi’s appeal rejected, the case is expected to proceed to the criminal court of Hauts-de-Seine.
The timing of the trial remains to be announced.
Until the trial is concluded, Hakimi remains an accused person rather than a convicted offender.
The case will therefore continue to be determined through the French judicial process, with both the allegation and Hakimi’s defence subject to examination before the court.
For now, the central development is that France’s highest court has allowed the decision sending the PSG and Morocco defender to trial to stand.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
- France’s Court of Cassation
- Le Monde
- Agence France-Presse (AFP)
- L’Équipe
- Channels Television
- The Guardian
