World Cup nations slam UEFA chief for ‘disappointing’ 48-team criticism

Thirteen World Cup participant nations jointly rejected comments attributed to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, who reportedly described matches in the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup as "uninteresting."

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For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match. Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality.

The football associations of Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Curacao, Haiti, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia issued a statement asserting that "there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match." They emphasized that football's strength lies in its universality, not in being confined to a select group of nations.

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We have a huge number of matches that are completely uninteresting.

For many countries, World Cup participation is more than a sporting achievement; it's a generational inspiration, a catalyst for football development, and a source of lifelong memories. Debutants like Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan, along with nations like DR Congo and Haiti returning after long absences, view their qualification as a historic accomplishment and a dream realized for millions of supporters.

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On the other hand, even small countries can participate and feel the pulse of the World Cup, which is a big thing.

The statement highlighted the extensive work and investment required for World Cup qualification, noting that entire communities and millions of people see football as a source of pride, hope, and unity. The nations expressed deep disappointment that Ceferin's remarks fail to acknowledge the efforts, sacrifices, and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, and fans worldwide.

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To suggest that these matches are somehow less important is deeply disappointing and fails to recognize the efforts, sacrifices and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, football leaders and supporters across the world.