Sports
Moroccan football star Hakimi to face trial for alleged rape while playing in World Cup
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A French appeals court on Friday has confirmed that Moroccan football icon Achraf Hakimi will face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023, which the Paris Saint-Germain defender denies.
In February 2023, a woman then aged 24 told police in the Val-de-Marne region southeast of Paris that Hakimi had raped her.
The PSG right-back and captain of the Moroccan national team, whose second match of the 2026 World Cup kicks off on Friday against Scotland, has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Shortly after the Versailles Court of Appeal delivered its ruling, Hakimi wrote on X that he had been “waiting for this trial since day one.”
“At last, I’ll be able to speak,” he said.
A date has not been announced for the start of the trial at the criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department.
“This confirmation was expected. Nothing here says that he is guilty of anything; he remains steadfast in his defense,” Hakimi’s lawyer Fanny Colin said.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said the decision brought her client “relief and hope.”
The plaintiff said she met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram and went to his home in a taxi ordered by the player, a police source said at the time.
She claimed that the player kissed her, touched her without her consent and then raped her.
She said she managed to push him away and text a friend, who came to pick her up.
Speaking to the press for the first time in a Mediapart article published Thursday, the woman, using the pseudonym Jeanne, said she wanted a trial “to defend myself, to be heard”.
“I want to explain myself. I want people to believe me,” she added.
Sports
Countries That Qualified For 2027 Women’s World Cup As Cameroon Beat Nigeria In Quarter- Final
Cameroon on Sunday secured their place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after edging Nigeria’s Super Falcons 1-0 in their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final encounter.
The victory also sent the Indomitable Lionesses into the WAFCON semi-finals, securing their qualification for next year’s global tournament in Brazil.
The 2026 WAFCON doubles as Africa’s qualifying competition for the 2027 Women’s World Cup, with the four semi-finalists earning the continent’s automatic tickets to the tournament.
Cameroon join Algeria and Morocco, who had already sealed their places after reaching the semi-finals on Saturday.
Brazil will host the 2027 tournament, while the remaining qualifying places are being determined through continental competitions across the various confederations.
See full list of countries that qualified:
Host:
Brazil
AFC:
Australia
China PR
Japan
Korea DPR
Korea Republic
Philippines
CAF:
Algeria
Cameroon
Morocco
Concacaf:
None yet
CONMEBOL:
Argentina
Colombia
OFC:
New Zealand
UEFA:
Denmark
France
Germany
Spain
More teams are expected to secure qualification as the various continental qualification campaigns conclude.
The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will feature 32 teams.
Sports
Just in: Unlucky Sunday for Nigeria as Super Falcons, Flying Eagles crumble, World Cup hopes dimmed
It is an unlucky Sunday for two National teams of Nigeria, the Super Falcons fell to Cameroon just as Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have been knocked out of the race for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to Burkina Faso in the final of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship.
The defeat at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, also ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The WAFU Zone B final carried added importance, as the winner was guaranteed a place at the 2027 U-20 AFCON, which will serve as the qualifying tournament for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
With Burkina Faso emerging victorious, the Young Stallions secured the region’s ticket, while Nigeria’s hopes of returning to the global youth tournament came to an end.
Burkina Faso took control of the final from the opening whistle, scoring three goals within the first 15 minutes and leaving the Flying Eagles with a huge deficit.
Nigeria struggled to contain the Young Stallings’ attacking pressure and could not recover from the early setback before the break.
Coach Abdu Maikaba’s side attempted to fight back after the interval but failed to produce the response required to turn the game around.
Burkina Faso eventually added another goal to complete a convincing 4-1 victory, while Nigeria’s consolation effort was not enough to change the outcome.
The result was particularly painful for the Flying Eagles after Burkina Faso had already defeated them 2-0 during the group stage.
Nigeria had hoped to avenge that earlier loss in the final but instead suffered another defeat to the Young Stallions when the stakes were highest.
The Flying Eagles had reached the final after overcoming Côte d’Ivoire in a dramatic semi-final.
Sports
WAFCON 2026: Super Falcons suffer shock defeat as Cameroon gets automatic ticket for World Cup
The defending champions Nigeria Super Falcons suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Cameroon at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, ending their WAFCON title defense and missing an automatic spot for the World Cup.
A 20th-minute free-kick by Maeva Nyadjou sealed the historic win for the Indomitable Lionesses .
Breakthrough: Teenage defender Maeva Nyadjou scored from a powerful 20th-minute free-kick to put Cameroon ahead.Nigerian Pressure: Nigeria dominated possession and created numerous chances, racking up heavy pressure and shots on goal, but couldn’t break down a resolute Cameroonian defense.Goheroics: Cameroon’s goalkeeper put in a player-of-the-match performance, denying late attacks including a final-moments chance from Esther Okoronkwo.Consequences of the LossWorld Cup Qualification: Cameroon booked an automatic ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and advanced to the WAFCON semi-finals against Morocco.Play-off Path: Nigeria’s title defense is over, but they move into a Wednesday play-in match against South Africa to chase a remaining inter-confederation play-off spot.Watch the match highlights and key moments from the dramatic quarter-final encounter:
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