’No such thing as an unimportant World Cup match’: 13 nations hit back at UEFA Chief

A coalition of 13 football federations, spanning Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia, has issued a strongly-worded joint statement rejecting UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin’s suggestion that the expanded 48-team World Cup would produce “uninteresting” matches, with the group insisting that “every match counts.”

The unprecedented show of unity, led by Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt, comes just days into the first 48-team tournament and follows comments attributed to Čeferin during a recent interview with Slovenian television. In those remarks, the UEFA president reportedly argued that a larger field would inevitably lead to less competitive or less appealing fixtures on the global stage.

“Deeply Disappointing”

The joint statement, sent to Agence France-Presse on Sunday, was signed by the federations of Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire. It expresses “profound disappointment” with Čeferin’s remarks.

“We respectfully but firmly reject these statements,” the federations said. “For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match. To suggest that these matches are somehow less important is deeply disappointing and shows a lack of recognition for the efforts, sacrifices, and dreams of players, coaches, clubs, officials, and fans around the world”.

The statement stressed that football “does not belong to a select group of nations” and that every qualified team had earned its place on merit. “Every team qualified on merit. Every match matters,” the group declared.

Historic Debuts and Long-Awaited Returns

For several of the signatories, a World Cup appearance is a landmark moment. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan are all making their tournament debuts, a direct result of the expanded 48-team format. Curaçao, with a population of just 150,000, becomes the smallest nation ever to compete at a World Cup. Uzbekistan, after years of investment in youth development, is the first Central Asian nation to reach the tournament.

Other signatories, such as DR Congo and Haiti, are returning to the global stage after long absences, achievements described in the statement as carrying “special significance for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for the opportunity”.

Format Debate

The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is the first to feature 48 teams, up from 32. The tournament includes 104 matches and runs until July 19. Under the new format, teams are split into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a 32-team knockout stage.

Proponents argue the expansion offers greater global representation and opportunities for emerging nations. Critics, including Čeferin, have raised concerns about fixture quality. However, the UEFA president has no direct authority over FIFA’s World Cup, and the governing bodies have often been at odds.

The 13 federations closed their statement with a clear message: “Every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team earned its place. Every fan has the right to dream”.