England and Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney pleads not guilty to club assault

Footballer Ivan Toney pleads not guilty to allegations he headbutted and punched a man at a London nightclub.

England striker Ivan Toney appeared in court 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 FIFA World Cup 2026 and plays for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Pro League, will face a trial in June next 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 Street on December 6 last year, the Press Association [PA] news agency reported.

A provisional trial date was set for the same court on June 12 by Judge Christopher Hehir, who apologised 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.”

Toney was released on unconditional bail, PA news reported.

He started his career with Northampton Town and played for Newcastle United and Peterborough before signing for Brentford in 2020, where he established himself as a Premier League star, which led to his England call-up. He joined Al-Ahli in 2024.