PARIS, France — France’s Court of Cassation has rejected an appeal from Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco footballer Achraf Hakimi, ordering him to stand trial on a rape charge.
Okay News reports that Court of Cassation confirmed the decision on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, marking the end of the 27-year-old player’s final legal recourse in the French judicial system.
The initial order for Hakimi to stand trial before the criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department was issued in February. Hakimi challenged that order before the Versailles appeals court, which confirmed on June 19 that he would stand trial, prompting his final appeal to the highest court.
The charge stems from an incident in February 2023, when a woman then aged 24 reported to police in the Val-de-Marne region southeast of Paris that Hakimi had raped her. The plaintiff stated she met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram and traveled to his home in a taxi ordered by the player.
According to police sources at the time of the report, the woman stated that Hakimi kissed her, touched her without her consent, and raped her before she managed to push him away and text a friend to collect her. Hakimi was formally charged with rape a few days later and has repeatedly denied the accusation.
Following the ruling, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, released a statement regarding the decision.
“After three and a half years of legal battles, after being slandered and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi’s defence, my client is determined to obtain justice; she will fight to the very end,” Pardo said.
Hakimi‘s lawyer, Fanny Colin, did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the decision.
