England striker Ivan Toney is provisionally due to stand trial in June 2028 over an alleged assault at a Soho nightclub, after formally pleading not guilty at Southwark Crown Court.
The 30-year-old is accused of headbutting and punching Saber Da Silva during a confrontation at 100 Wardour Street on 6 December 2025. The alleged incident followed a Metropolitan Police investigation. Toney denies the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Judge Christopher Hehir set the provisional trial date for 12 June 2028 and apologised to Toney for the long wait. He said the crown courts were under heavy pressure and facing a substantial backlog of cases. Toney was released on unconditional bail after Thursday’s hearing.
Trial date falls during Euro 2028
The provisional date falls three days after Euro 2028 is scheduled to begin. The tournament will be hosted by England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, and is due to run from 9 June to 9 July.
The trial is expected to last several days. Its timing could overlap with the tournament’s group stage, although the date remains provisional and no England match schedule has yet been set for that period.
Toney represented England at the 2026 World Cup and currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli. He has made 10 appearances for the national team and scored once. The trial date does not determine whether he will be selected for Euro 2028.
Toney denies the assault allegation
The charge relates to an alleged confrontation with Da Silva at the Wardour Street club. At an earlier hearing, the court was told that the men squared up to one another before Toney allegedly headbutted Da Silva and threw punches. Da Silva’s injuries to his nose and finger are not disputed, but the events leading up to them are contested.
Toney previously pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Thursday’s hearing at Southwark Crown Court formally confirmed that plea and set the next stage of the case.
The charge was announced in July after the police investigation. Toney’s unconditional bail means he remains free while the case proceeds; it is not a finding on the allegation. The case will be determined at trial.
Court backlog cited for lengthy wait
The provisional trial date is more than 18 months after Thursday’s hearing. Judge Hehir said he was sorry for the delay and referred to the pressure on crown courts and the backlog of work.
The court timetable could change before the case is heard. The FA has not yet publicly addressed whether the trial’s timing could affect Toney’s availability for Euro 2028, and the England squad for the tournament has not been selected.
Toney began his career at Northampton Town and later played for Newcastle United, Peterborough United and Brentford. He scored 72 goals for Brentford before joining Al-Ahli in 2024. He remains accused of an offence and has pleaded not guilty.
