Thirteen football federations released a joint statement on June 14, 2026, rejecting criticism from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin of the 48-team format at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026.

The statement expressed profound disappointment over Ceferin’s remarks, published by Slovenian outlet Delo, in which he described many matches under the expanded format as “completely uninteresting.”

The federations said every World Cup match is important to participating nations and rejected any suggestion that some fixtures matter less than others.

They emphasized the achievements required to qualify and the meaning of the tournament for their countries and supporters.

Signatories

The direct signatories are the federations of Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo and Haiti. They issued the statement in solidarity with those of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa.

Three of the direct signatories, Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, are making their World Cup debuts this year.

DR Congo returns to the tournament for the first time since 1974, when the country competed as Zaire. Many of the nations involved are from Africa or represent smaller footballing countries.

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The statement noted that qualification represents historic achievements for some and a return to football’s biggest stage for others after long absences. It showed years of work, investment, and the role of national teams in fostering pride, hope, and unity within their communities.

The Statement Released

“For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match,” the statement said. It described Ceferin’s comments as deeply disappointing and failing to recognize the efforts and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, football leaders and supporters worldwide.

The federations asserted that every nation that qualifies deserves respect. They added that football does not belong to a select group of nations and that the World Cup’s strength lies in uniting diverse cultures, histories, and football journeys.

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“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,” the statement concluded.

Prior Criticism

The 2026 World Cup is the first edition with 48 teams, up from 32, and features 12 groups of four teams. It is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The expansion aimed to broaden participation beyond traditional power bases in Europe and South America.

Ceferin has previously criticized plans for further expansion. He spoke out against proposals to increase the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams. UEFA’s European Championship has been played with 24 teams since 2016, after expanding from 16 teams.

The statement was released on the same day as live matches, including the Netherlands versus Japan and Ivory Coast versus Ecuador.

FIFA has not commented on the statement.