African football associations have strongly rejected comments made by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin regarding the expansion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking about the new 48-team format, Ceferin argued that the tournament would include several “irrelevant” matches and suggested that some participating nations would struggle to win a single game in European competition. While acknowledging that smaller nations would benefit from experiencing the World Cup atmosphere, his remarks sparked widespread criticism.
In response, 14 national associations — including Cape Verde, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast and South Africa — issued a joint statement defending the expanded tournament.
“For our countries, there are no meaningless World Cup matches. Reaching the FIFA World Cup is the fulfillment of a dream shared across generations.”
The federations stressed that qualification represents far more than a sporting achievement. For many nations, it is a moment of national pride, inspiration and recognition on the global stage.
The statement also emphasized football’s global nature:
“Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality. The World Cup is the greatest competition in the world because it brings together different cultures, histories and football journeys.”
The associations argued that Ceferin’s comments overlooked the sacrifices and aspirations of players, coaches, officials and supporters around the world.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams, expanding from the previous 32-team format. As a result, Africa’s guaranteed allocation increased from five to nine places, with the possibility of an additional berth through the intercontinental playoffs.
Hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament features a record 10 African representatives: South Africa, Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, DR Congo, Senegal and Tunisia.