Wydad striker Yedder cleared of rape charges in France as appeal court overturns trial order

Wydad Casablanca striker Wissam Ben Yedder has been cleared of rape and sexual assault charges by a French appeals court.

The ruling by the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal overturns a previous decision by the Nice public prosecutor’s office to send the striker to trial.

The court found there was “no basis for prosecuting him”, effectively ending one of the most serious legal cases hanging over the 34-year-old forward since 2023.

Ben Yedder, who currently plays for Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, had been under formal investigation following accusations made by two teenage women he met at a party.

The allegations included rape, attempted rape and sexual assault.

The appeal court’s decision represents a significant legal reversal and removes the immediate threat of a criminal trial that had cast uncertainty over his professional future.

Speaking after the ruling, his lawyer Sophia Kerbaa said: “We are very satisfied with the decision. My client has always maintained his innocence.”

Ben Yedder also addressed the outcome publicly, writing on social media: “I am happy with the decision rendered by the court. I have always proclaimed my innocence, and today the Court of Appeal has heard me. I want to thank everyone who has supported me from the beginning, namely my loved ones, my supporters, and the public.”

The development is particularly notable given Ben Yedder’s profile in both European and North African football. The former AS Monaco, Sevilla FC and France international forward joined Wydad Casablanca in January after short spells in Iran and Turkey.

His arrival in Morocco was viewed as a high-profile signing, bringing European experience and proven goalscoring pedigree to one of Africa’s most decorated clubs.

However, the legal proceedings had overshadowed much of that narrative. Last year, Ben Yedder had been ordered to stand trial alongside his brother Sabri, before the appeals court overturned the decision. The case had formed part of a broader series of legal challenges for the striker in recent years.

In September 2025, he was fined €90,000 by a criminal court in Nice for psychological abuse of his wife, from whom he is divorcing. In 2024, he received a two-year suspended sentence in France for sexual violence in a separate case, a decision he has appealed. Earlier, in 2023, he was convicted in Spain for tax fraud related to his time at Sevilla.

Despite those matters, the appeals court ruling on the rape and sexual assault accusations marks a decisive development in one of the most serious allegations he has faced.

On the sporting front, the decision may allow Ben Yedder to focus fully on his career in Morocco. A former Ligue 1 top scorer, he remains one of Tunisia’s most recognisable football exports and a player with significant experience at international level.

For Wydad Casablanca, the verdict provides clarity at a time when stability is crucial both domestically and in continental competition. For Ben Yedder himself, it brings legal relief after nearly two years of uncertainty.