Achraf Hakimi faces French trial as Morocco chases World Cup glory

A French appeals court confirmed that Morocco captain and Paris Saint‑Germain right‑back Achraf Hakimi will stand trial on rape charges. The decision was announced hours before Morocco’s Group C match against Scotland in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and follows a February ruling that ordered his case to be sent to trial. Hakimi, who denies the allegations, has been playing in the 2026 World Cup, where Morocco opened with a 1‑1 draw against Brazil and will face Scotland and Haiti in the next rounds.

Morocco’s performance has been highlighted by forward Ismael Saibari, who scored against Brazil and has been deployed as a false‑nine by coach Mohamed Ouahbi. Saibari’s form attracted a €52‑55 million transfer to Bayern Munich, with his medical already completed in New Jersey. The team’s results have propelled Morocco to sixth place in the FIFA rankings, the highest ever for an African nation.

Both the legal saga surrounding Hakimi and the on‑field successes of Saibari underscore Morocco’s dual narrative of sporting ambition and off‑field scrutiny as the tournament progresses.