On July 4th at 10 a.m. Pacific, Achraf Hakimi will walk out as Morocco’s captain to face Canada in the biggest match of the Atlas Lions‘ World Cup campaign, and one of the biggest in Canadian soccer history. He’ll do it while formally charged with rape and awaiting a criminal trial in France.
That contradiction sits at the heart of a pointed piece by Toronto Star writer Joe Callaghan, who used Morocco’s earlier win over Scotland to ask a question the tournament seems determined to avoid: should Hakimi even be playing at all?
A Trial, a Trophy Case, And a Question Nobody Wants to Answer
Callaghan’s article opens not with the football but with the crowd noise. Scottish supporters in Boston booed Hakimi every time he touched the ball, and ITV analyst Ally McCoist, mid-broadcast, admitted he wasn’t sure why.
What he’d done, or is accused of doing, dates back to February 2023, when a then-24-year-old woman told French police she had been raped at Hakimi’s home outside Paris. Hakimi was formally placed under investigation days later.
He has spent the three years since fighting to have the case thrown out, all while continuing to collect trophies and roughly $97 million in salary during that stretch.
That fight ended on June 19th, when France’s Versailles Court of Appeal ruled there was sufficient evidence to send Hakimi to trial. Reporting from Tom Burrows of The Athletic fills in legal mechanics: unlike the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service model, French investigating judges examine evidence for and against a suspect before deciding whether a case proceeds. Six judges, according to the accuser’s lawyer Rachel-Flore Pardo, agreed the evidence was strong enough to indict.
No trial date has been set, though it’s expected this fall in the Hauts-de-Seine criminal court.
Read More: Morocco World Cup Squad 2026: Club Team, Age For All 26 Players
The Defense, the Accuser, and Achraf Hakimi’s Future
GettyMorocco’s defender #02 Achraf Hakimi reacts after missing a chance during the 2026 World Cup Group C football match between Brazil and Morocco at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 13, 2026. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images)
Hakimi has never wavered from denial, and Burrow’s reporting traces that position across several public statements — a 2025 podcast appearance, a Canal+ documentary, and posts on X. His full response came after the June 19 ruling, and it’s worth reading in his own words:
“Justice looked me in the eyes and said to me: ‘If you weren’t famous, there never would have been a case.’
I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.
Today, a story that is not mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. Sometimes I feel like I’ve become an easy target.
I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it.
Finally, I will be able to speak.”
His accuser, who has largely stayed silent, broke that silence too, telling French outlet Mediapart she has felt “alone, unsupported and not understood,” and that she simply wants a trial “to defend myself, to be heard.”
For now, Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi has offered nothing but support, calling Hakimi “extraordinary” and “the best right-back in the world.”
Time will tell what will happen to Hakimi when he stands trial, but for now, he’ll appear in the matchup against Canada.
Morocco Captain Achraf Hakimi Sent Strong Message Ahead of Rape Trial