‘There’s no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match,’ 13 World Cup participant nations say in a statement.
Eleven World Cup participating nations from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean have expressed their disagreement with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin over his criticism of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup format.
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 joint statement on Sunday rejecting Ceferin’s remarks.
Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan are making their World Cup debut this year, while DR Congo and Haiti are returning to football’s premier event for the first time since 1974. Curacao was eliminated by Germany 7-1 in their tournament opener on Sunday.
The 2026 tournament represents the largest edition of the World Cup in history, featuring 48 nations compared to the traditional 32.
“For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match,” the statement said. “Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality.”
“For many countries, participation in the FIFA World Cup is not only a sporting achievement. It is a moment that inspires a generation, accelerates football development and creates memories that last a lifetime.”
The statement did not directly quote Ceferin, though he was reported by Slovenian media outlets Zurnal 24 and Dosi to have made his remarks during a conference in Ljubljana the previous Monday.
“We have a huge number of matches that are completely uninteresting,” Ceferin was quoted as saying. “On the other hand, even small countries can participate and feel the pulse of the World Cup, which is a big thing.”
The joint statement described the debutant teams’ qualification as a “historic achievement and the realization of a dream shared by generations.”
“For nations such as Congo and Haiti, returning to football’s biggest stage after a long absence carries special meaning for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for this moment,” the statement added.
The statement highlighted the extensive effort and investment required to qualify for the World Cup, noting that “behind every national team stand entire communities and millions of people who see football as a source of pride, hope and unity.”
“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,” it continued.
The statement concluded by asserting: “We believe that every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team has earned its place on merit. Every supporter has the right to dream. Every match carries meaning for millions of people around the world.”
“We therefore reject the UEFA President’s comments and reaffirm our belief that the growth of football must continue to create opportunities, inspire new generations and strengthen the truly global nature of our game.”
