Naomi Osaka wanted to attend Haiti’s matches at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. However, the former World No. 1 women’s singles tennis player isn’t able to do so because of her preparations for the grass-court swing. Amid this situation, the Japanese WTA icon shared a candid take expressing her jealousy of those who, unlike her, are attending Haiti’s matches at the prestigious soccer tournament.
Osaka, whose father Leonard Francois hails from Haiti, took to Threads ahead of the Caribbean nation’s first group-stage match against Scotland at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and wrote:
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“I am so jealous of everyone going to the Haiti World Cup games 😭😭😭”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks Haiti’s first appearance on international soccer’s biggest stage in 52 years. However, the Haitian team has got a tough task on its hands in terms of progressing deeper in the tournament, as it finds itself in Group C, which also features Scotland, Morocco and former five-time champions Brazil. Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 in the first round of group stage matches.
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka is currently preparing for her first competitive outing on grass this year after a fourth-round finish at the French Open.
“If I lost this match when I was younger, I’d…” – Naomi Osaka after loss to Aryna Sabalenka at French Open 2026
Naomi Osaka was seeded No. 16 in the women’s singles main draw at this year’s French Open. The 28-year-old registered the best run of her career so far at Roland Garros as she dispatched Laura Siegemund, Donna Vekic and Iva Jovic to reach the fourth round.
However, the four-time major champion’s progress was halted by reigning World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round, and in the aftermath of her loss, Osaka spoke up about how she would have probably dealt with the defeat when she was younger, saying:
“If I lost this match when I was younger, I’d shut myself in my room or whatever. But now I feel like obviously I love tennis, and I’m trying my best to do everything to be the best player I can.”
It’s unclear whether Osaka will play any grass tournaments in the build-up to the 2026 Wimbledon Championships. The Japanese is a former three-time third-round finisher at the prestigious grass Slam, and will be keen on improving on her record there. As things stand, Osaka has a 12-6 win-loss record so far this year.
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Edited by Sudipto Pati