A French appeals court upheld a decision to send the case to trial, more than three years after a woman accused the PSG player of rape.

Paris, France (Running Africa) — Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in France over a rape allegation dating back to 2023 after a French appeals court rejected his challenge to an earlier decision referring the case to criminal court.

The ruling by the Versailles Court of Appeal paves the way for a trial concerning allegations made by a 24-year-old woman, who accused the Paris Saint-Germain defender of raping her at his residence near Paris in February 2023. French prosecutors in Nanterre opened an investigation following the complaint, and Hakimi was formally placed under judicial investigation the following month.

The 26-year-old footballer has consistently denied the allegation and maintains his innocence.

Responding to the court’s decision, Hakimi said he welcomed the opportunity to present his case before a court.

“Today, a story that isn’t mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life and, above all, the truth,” he wrote in a statement shared on social media.

No date has been announced for the trial.

The development comes as Hakimi is representing Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he remains one of the Atlas Lions’ most influential players. The defender featured in Morocco’s opening group-stage match and arrived at the tournament following another successful season with French champions Paris Saint-Germain, including a second consecutive UEFA Champions League title.

The legal proceedings are separate from Hakimi’s football career, and no sporting sanctions have been announced in connection with the case. As the judicial process moves forward, the matter will now be examined in a French criminal court, where both the allegations and the player’s defense will be heard.