Thirteen football federations that have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Morocco and Senegal, have publicly criticized UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin for recent comments suggesting that the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams diminishes the quality of the tournament. The federations issued a joint statement on Sunday, June 14, 2026, accusing UEFA of a 'lack of recognition' for the efforts and achievements of non-European teams.
The statement, signed by federations from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, specifically objects to Čeferin's remarks made earlier this month, in which he reportedly said that the expanded World Cup would 'dilute the competition' and that European teams remain the standard-bearers of global football. The signatories argue that such comments undermine the spirit of global football development and ignore the significant investments and progress made by their nations.
Morocco, which reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, and Senegal, the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, are among the most prominent voices in the protest. The group is calling for a more equitable distribution of FIFA revenues and greater support from UEFA for football development programs outside Europe.
FIFA has not yet officially responded to the protest, but sources indicate that the world governing body is monitoring the situation closely. The 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is set to be the first edition with 48 teams, a format that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has championed as a way to increase global participation.
