13 countries condemn UEFA chief Ceferin over 2026 World Cup remarks

Thirteen countries taking part in the 2026 World Cup have condemned UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin over comments criticizing the tournament's expansion and describing some matches as unimportant. The joint statement was signed by the football federations of Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa, including four Arab nations from Africa — Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. In the statement, the federations said there are no unimportant matches at the World Cup and argued that such remarks disregard the efforts and ambitions of players, football structures and fans worldwide. They noted that for Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, qualifying represented a historic achievement, while for Congo and Haiti it marked a return to the global stage after a long absence. The federations rejected Ceferin's comments and said every team at the tournament has earned its place and deserves full respect. No further details or additional statements from UEFA were immediately available.