Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA, Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan
15 June 2026
Thirteen World Cup nations have criticised UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin after he reportedly said expansion to 48 teams would create many uninteresting matches. Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, Haiti and several African teams jointly rejected the comments.
The statement argued every qualifier earned its place and every match carries meaning for millions of supporters. The backlash turns tournament expansion into a governance fight, with smaller nations defending access, pride and football’s global reach.