England striker Ivan Toney will face trial on 12 June 2028 concerning an alleged nightclub assault. The player, who is 30 and now plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, attended Southwark Crown Court recently to enter a not guilty plea to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was granted unconditional bail after the hearing. Judge Christopher Hehir scheduled the trial for a date 20 months later and expressed regret to Toney for the wait. The judge also formally cautioned the footballer about the legal repercussions of not appearing in court. The proceedings are anticipated to take as long as five days.

Incident details

The alleged event took place at a nightclub on Wardour Street in Soho in early December 2025. According to prosecutors, Toney and another individual, Saber Da Silva, had a verbal exchange before Toney is said to have moved forward to head-butt Da Silva and then throw multiple punches. It is claimed Da Silva suffered damage to his nose and fingers. The criminal case resulted from a Metropolitan Police inquiry, leading to Toney being charged in the latter part of July.

A representative for Toney stated the player recognizes the charge and, though surprised, is eager to prove his innocence at trial. After making his plea at Westminster Magistrates' Court in early October, Toney asked for his case to be moved to a crown court. The court was informed that the alleged victim, Saber Da Silva, is an ex-professional footballer who has been with clubs such as Barnet and Boreham Wood.

Career context

The timing creates a major issue for Toney's duties with the national team. The trial is set to occur in the middle of the group phase for the men's European Championship in 2028. Toney has made 10 appearances for England and was included in the squad for the 2026 World Cup, featuring in the semi-final and beginning the match for third place. He has not been called up for later Nations League matches.

Toney's club career progressed significantly at Brentford, where he netted 72 times over four seasons and aided in achieving promotion to the Premier League in 2021. He became a prominent striker in the division prior to transferring to Al-Ahli for an alleged fee of £40m in 2024. He started his professional journey at Northampton Town before having periods with Newcastle United and Peterborough United. The 2028 European Championship, jointly hosted by the United Kingdom and Ireland, starts on 7 June, and its group stage concludes on 22 June.

Read the full report at bbc.co.uk