A coalition of football associations from Africa, the Caribbean, Central Asia and other emerging football nations has criticized comments made by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin regarding the expansion of the FIFA World Cup, saying that his remarks undermine the aspirations of millions of football supporters across the globe.

The controversy follows comments attributed to Čeferin in which he questioned the quality and appeal of some matches in the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, suggesting that the tournament’s growth could result in a number of “uninteresting” fixtures.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is the largest in the tournament’s history. FIFA has expanded the competition from 32 to 48 teams, increasing participation from every continent and allowing more countries to qualify for football’s biggest event.

Increased number of participants

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the expansion is Africa. The continent, represented by 54 FIFA member associations, has seen its allocation increase from five guaranteed places to nine direct qualification spots, with a possible tenth place through the intercontinental play-offs. Similar increases have been granted to Asia, North and Central America, and Oceania, reflecting FIFA’s efforts to make the World Cup more globally representative.

Federations issue statement

In a joint statement, the football associations of Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa expressed what they described as “profound disappointment” with Čeferin’s comments.

“We respectfully but firmly reject these comments,” the statement read.

“For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match.”

The associations maintained that qualification for the World Cup carries enormous importance for countries that have historically had limited opportunities to participate on football’s biggest stage.

“For Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, qualification for the FIFA World Cup represents a historic achievement and the realization of a dream shared by generations,” the statement said.

The federations also pointed out the importance of qualification for nations seeking to return to the tournament after long absences.

“For nations such as Congo and Haiti, returning to football’s biggest stage after a long absence carries a special meaning for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for this moment.”

The statement argued that dismissing such matches as less important overlooks the years of investment, sacrifice, and dedication made by players, coaches, administrators, and supporters.

“Behind every qualification stand years of work and investment. Behind every national team stand entire communities and millions of people who see football as a source of pride, hope and unity.”

The federations further defended the principle of expanding access to the World Cup, describing football as a truly global sport whose strength lies in its universality.

“Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality. The FIFA World Cup is the world’s greatest football competition precisely because it brings together different cultures, different histories and different football journeys.”

The federations concluded by reaffirming their support for the expansion of the World Cup.

“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.” Emphasizing that; “Every team qualified on merit. Every match matters.”

elevation , June 24, 2026

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