‘Every Match Matters’: 13 World Cup Nations Hit Back At UEFA Chief

Thirteen nations participating in the FIFA World Cup have issued a joint statement expressing their “profound disappointment” over recent comments by UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, who reportedly argued that the expanded tournament would produce “uninteresting” matches.

Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire said they “respectfully but firmly” rejected the remarks.

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

The nations noted that qualification for the tournament represented a historic achievement for countries such as Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, describing it as the fulfilment of dreams shared across generations.

They added that for countries including Congo and Haiti, returning to football’s biggest stage after long absences held special significance for millions of supporters who had waited years, and in some cases decades, for the opportunity.

The countries said suggestions that such matches were less important failed to recognise the efforts and sacrifices made by players, coaches, clubs, administrators and fans.

“Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality,” the statement said, adding that the World Cup derives its appeal from bringing together different cultures, histories and football traditions.

According to the signatories, participation in the tournament goes beyond sporting success, serving as a source of inspiration for younger generations and helping to accelerate football development.

Reaffirming their support for the expansion of the game, the countries said every team had earned its place at the tournament on merit and insisted that “every match carries meaning for millions of people around the world.”

“We therefore reject the UEFA President’s comments and reaffirm our belief that the growth of football must continue to create opportunities, inspire new generations and strengthen the truly global nature of our game,” the statement added.

“Every team qualified on merit. Every match matters.”