England Soccer Player Ivan Toney Pleads Not Guilty to Assault and Trial Set for 2028

LONDON (AP) — England striker Ivan Toney appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty after being accused of headbutting and punching a man at a nightclub in London last year.

The 30-year-old Toney, who represented England at the World Cup last summer and plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, will face a trial in 2028 — during the European Championship soccer tournament being co-hosted by England that year — over the alleged assault.

During the five-minute hearing at Southwark Crown Court in London, Toney formally entered a not guilty plea to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a confrontation at a night spot on Wardour St. on Dec. 6 last year, Britain's Press Association news agency reported.

A provisional trial date was set for the same court on June 12, 2028 by Judge Christopher Hehir, who apologized to Toney about the delay.

"That's a long way in advance and I'm sorry about that," the judge said. "As you may know, the crown courts are operating under a great deal of pressure. We have got a massive backlog of work for various reasons."

Euro 2028 is scheduled for June 9-July 9 and is being staged in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Toney was released on unconditional bail, PA news reported.

He started his career with Northampton and played for Newcastle and Peterborough before signing for Brentford in 2020. He joined Al-Ahli in 2024.

Toney has played 10 times for England, scoring once. He wasn't selected in the most recent England squad for Nations League matches in September and October.