• Achraf Hakimi, Moroccan football captain, will face trial on rape charges in France.
• The Versailles Court affirmed the ruling against Hakimi, who denies allegations.
• The plaintiff alleges Hakimi assaulted her at his home in early 2023.
• Hakimi expressed a desire to defend his name and speaks out against the accusations.
• A trial date has not yet been set.

Achraf Hakimi, the captain of the Moroccan national football team and a defender for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), will stand trial for alleged rape, as confirmed by a French appeals court. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding the allegations stemming from an incident that occurred in early 2023. Following the ruling, Hakimi posted on X, stating he has been "waiting for this trial since day one" and looks forward to addressing these accusations directly, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, Africanews, and Le Monde.

The allegations involve claims that Hakimi raped a woman at his home outside Paris. The plaintiff, who met Hakimi on Instagram, reported the incident to police, stating that he kissed her and touched her without her consent before sexually assaulting her. According to her attorney, the confirmation of the trial brings "relief and hope" to the plaintiff, who wishes for her story to be heard, as reported by Reuters, Al Jazeera, Africanews, and Le Monde.

The judge's ruling sets the stage for the trial, though a specific date has yet to be disclosed. Hakimi's attorney emphasized that "nothing here says that he is guilty of anything," asserting his innocent stance amidst the allegations, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, Africanews, and Le Monde.