13 World Cup Qualifiers Reject UEFA Chief's "Uninteresting Matches" Remark
Thirteen national football federations—including Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, and South Africa—issued a joint statement denouncing UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin’s claim that expanding the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams would produce “meaningless” matches. The federations called the remarks disrespectful, emphasizing that every qualification is a historic achievement and generational dream. They affirmed football’s universality and rejected the notion that the sport belongs to a privileged few.
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13 World Cup Nations Send Angry Letter to UEFA President Amid Feud with FIFA's Infantino
Thirteen nations competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup have written an open letter to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, criticizing his comments that some matches in the expanded 48-team tournament are 'completely uninteresting'. The letter, signed by countries including Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, and several African and Arab nations, defends the significance of their participation. The incident is part of a broader feud between FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who pushed for the expansion, and Ceferin. Tensions have escalated over FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup, which challenges UEFA's Champions League. Ceferin recently scored a PR victory by inviting a Somali referee to the UEFA Super Cup after the official was denied a US visa, an issue critics link to Infantino's ties with President Trump. The World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, is projected to generate $13 billion in revenue.
Yardbarker: SoccerCeferin's 'Uninteresting Matches' Remark Sparks Rebuke from 13 World Cup Nations
UEFA President Alexander Ceferin sparked controversy by describing many 2026 World Cup matches as 'totally uninteresting' during a conference in Ljubljana. His comments, reported by Slovenian daily Delo, drew sharp criticism from 13 nations competing in the tournament: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa. The federations issued a joint statement firmly rejecting Ceferin's remarks, stating that no World Cup match is unimportant and that football does not belong to a small group of nations. Ceferin had also acknowledged that even small countries can participate and get swept up in the World Cup rhythm, which he called positive. The controversy highlights tensions over FIFA's expansion of the tournament to 48 teams.
Home Football - actualitésSmall Football Associations Outraged by UEFA Chief's Criticism of Expanded World Cup
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin sparked controversy by calling many matches in the expanded 48-team World Cup 'completely uninteresting.' In response, football associations from Senegal, Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo issued a joint statement rejecting his remarks, supported by several African nations. They argued that every World Cup game matters and that participation represents historic achievement and national pride. The dispute reflects a fundamental conflict between European officials concerned about quality and commercialization, and smaller nations who see the expansion as an opportunity. Čeferin also criticized high ticket prices for the 2026 tournament in North America.
Nachrichten - WELTWorld Cup teams reject Ceferin's 'uninteresting' claim
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has faced backlash from 13 World Cup nations after reportedly claiming that the expanded 2026 World Cup, which increased from 32 to 48 teams, has led to many 'uninteresting' matches. The football associations of Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa issued a joint statement expressing profound disappointment. They argued that for their countries, every World Cup match carries deep meaning, representing historic achievements, long-awaited returns, and the dreams of millions. The nations emphasized that football's strength lies in its universality and that every qualified team deserves respect. This is the first World Cup expansion since 1998. UEFA has been contacted for comment.
BBC SportWorld Cup newcomers reject UEFA chief Ceferin's 'unimportant games' remark
Several World Cup debutants and smaller nations have pushed back against UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who reportedly criticized the expanded 48-team World Cup as having 'a huge number of completely uninteresting games.' In a joint statement, the football associations of Cape Verde, Curaçao, DR Congo, Haiti, Jordan, and Uzbekistan—supported by eight African nations including Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia—firmly rejected the remarks. They emphasized that for their countries, no World Cup game is unimportant, highlighting the historic achievement of qualifying for the first time for nations like Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. The statement called the criticism 'deeply disappointing' and argued that football does not belong to a select group of nations. The article notes the irony that UEFA itself expanded the European Championship to 24 teams under Ceferin's leadership, a move that similarly gave more nations access to a major tournament.
BILD - SportUEFA President Ceferin Criticized by 13 World Cup Federations Over 'Uninteresting' Matches Remark
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has come under fire from 13 national football federations after reportedly stating during a visit to Slovenia that the expansion of the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams would lead to a high number of 'completely uninteresting' games. The federations, including debutants Cape Verde, Curaçao, and Uzbekistan, as well as major African nations like Morocco, Egypt, and Ivory Coast, jointly issued a statement expressing deep disappointment. They asserted that there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match, emphasizing that qualifying represents a historic achievement and a generational dream. The letter directly challenged Ceferin, stating that 'football does not belong to a restricted group of privileged officials' and that its strength lies in universality. The signatories also included federations from Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, Senegal, and South Africa, representing more than a quarter of the teams in the 2026 World Cup.
RecordThirteen Countries Respond to Ceferin: 'There Are No Unimportant Matches in the World Cup'
Thirteen African, Caribbean, and Asian football federations jointly expressed 'deep disappointment' over UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin's comments that many matches in the expanded 48-team World Cup are 'uninteresting.' The federations—Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa—issued a respectful but firm statement defending the significance of every World Cup match. They emphasized that qualification represents generational dreams for smaller nations, highlighted the symbolic return of Congo and Haiti after long absences, and stressed that football's greatness lies in its universality. The statement rejected the idea that football belongs to a select group of nations and called for continued growth to inspire new generations.
FútbolAfrican and other federations jointly reject UEFA chief Ceferin's criticism of expanded World Cup
On June 14, 2026, a group of 13 national football federations, including Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa, issued a joint statement denouncing UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin's recent comments. Ceferin had stated in a Slovenian TV interview that expanding the World Cup to 48 teams leads to 'uninteresting' or 'meaningless' matches. The federations firmly rejected this view, emphasizing that for their countries, every World Cup match is significant. They highlighted that qualification represents historic achievements and long-awaited dreams for nations like Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan, and returns to the global stage for countries like Congo and Haiti after decades. The statement stressed that football does not belong to a small group of nations and that every qualified team deserves respect. The article also notes that Curaçao was set to play its first-ever World Cup match against Germany later that day.
Home Football - actualitésThirteen World Cup Qualifying Federations Denounce UEFA President's Remarks on Expanded Tournament
Thirteen national football federations, including Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, issued a joint statement on Sunday denouncing recent remarks by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. Ceferin had claimed that expanding the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams would lead to 'meaningless' matches. The federations, all of which have qualified for the tournament, rejected the characterization, stating that no World Cup match is unimportant for their countries. They argued that the comments reflect a 'lack of recognition' of the efforts and aspirations of players, coaches, and fans worldwide, and emphasized that football does not belong to a small group of nations. The statement was released to AFP and signed by Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa.
Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continuSenegal Leads Joint Statement Against UEFA President Over 2026 World Cup Comments
The football federations of Senegal, Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, and Haiti issued a joint statement expressing 'deep disappointment' with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin's remarks suggesting some 2026 World Cup matches could be considered secondary. The signatories firmly reject this notion, arguing that for their nations, every World Cup qualification is a historic achievement and a generational dream. They emphasize that football's strength lies in its universality and that every qualified team deserves respect. The statement highlights the transformative impact of World Cup participation on emerging football nations, inspiring generations and accelerating development. The stance has received solidarity from the federations of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa.
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