World Cup 2026: UEFA boss criticized for ‘tasteless’ comments

UEFA president Aleksandar Ceferin has been criticized by the 13 World Cup nations who say he has demanded an extended tournament that has made many matches “uninteresting”.

Several countries competing in the tournament, the United States, Mexico and Canada, released a joint statement on Sunday.

The football associations of Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa have come together to “express their deep disappointment” in Seferin.

He told a conference in Ljubljana, his native Slovenia, that the increase from 32 teams to 48 would make world football’s showpiece event less attractive.

“We have a lot of matches that are completely uninteresting,” Ceferin was quoted as saying by one Slovenian news outlet, outsider.

“On the other hand, even smaller countries can participate and feel the vibe of the World Cup, which is a big deal.”

But it has drawn backlash from some countries that have benefited from FIFA’s decision to make this year’s tournament bigger.

Their statement read: “We respectfully but firmly reject these comments.

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

“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.

“For countries like Congo and Haiti, returning to football’s biggest stage after a long absence carries a special meaning for the millions of fans who have waited years and in some cases decades for this moment.

“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 around the world.”

This is the first time the World Cup has expanded since going from 24 to 32 teams in 1998.

The joint statement added: “Behind every qualification are years of work and investment. Behind every national team is an entire community and millions of people who see football as a source of pride, hope and unity.”

“Football does not belong to a select group. Its strength comes from its universality.

“We believe that every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team gets a place on merit. Every fan has the right to dream. Every match means something to billions of people around the world.

“We therefore reject the UEFA president’s comments and reaffirm our belief that the growth of football must create opportunities, inspire new generations and reinforce the truly global nature of our game.”

BBC Sport has approached UEFA for comment.