The African nations that qualified for the 2026 World Cup, supported by several emerging footballing powers, have reacted strongly to recent statements by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. He had openly criticized the expansion of the competition, describing many matches as "uninteresting".

This statement is all the more poorly received given that the World Cup has historically served as a showcase for European clubs to unearth the stars of tomorrow. One thinks in particular of the soaring value of players like Ayyoub Bouaddi following the Brazil-Morocco match.

A united global front against UEFA

Faced with what they consider to be contempt, thirteen football federations — Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa — published a joint statement on June 14 to express their deep disappointment.

The official statement from the Federations: "No match is without importance"

In this joint statement, the signatory countries reiterate the universal value of football and firmly reject the elitist vision of the UEFA boss:

"For our countries, there is no such thing as an insignificant FIFA World Cup match. Qualification represents a historic achievement and the realization of a dream shared by generations."

To suggest that some of our matches are less important is deeply disappointing. It ignores the efforts, sacrifices, and aspirations of players, coaches, managers, and fans worldwide. Behind every qualification are years of hard work and investment.

The text also emphasizes the social and cultural impact of the competition, far beyond the purely commercial aspect:

“Football does not belong to a small group of privileged leaders. Its strength lies in its universality. The World Cup is the greatest competition precisely because it brings together different cultures and different backgrounds.”

For many countries, participating inspires a generation, accelerates the development of sport, and creates lifelong memories. We believe every qualified nation deserves respect. Every team qualified on merit. Every match counts.