Thirteen nations competing at this year's FIFA World Cup have issued a joint statement rejecting remarks attributed to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who reportedly described many matches at the expanded 48-team tournament as "completely uninteresting."

The statement, released on Sunday, was signed by the football associations of Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa — expressing what they called their "profound disappointment" at Ceferin's reported words.

What Ceferin reportedly said

According to a Slovenian news outlet, Ceferin made the remarks at a conference in Ljubljana, the capital of his native Slovenia. He is quoted as saying: "We have a lot of matches that are completely uninteresting." He did, however, acknowledge that expanding the competition allowed smaller nations to participate and "feel the pulse of the World Cup."

This tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada is the first to feature 48 teams, an increase from the 32-team format that has been in place since 1998.

Nations push back

The thirteen associations were unequivocal in their response. "We respectfully but firmly reject these comments," their statement read. "For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match."

The statement paid special tribute to nations experiencing historic moments at this tournament. "For Cape Verde, Curacao, and Uzbekistan, qualification for the FIFA World Cup represents a historic achievement and the realisation of a dream shared by generations," it read.

For DR Congo and Haiti, the significance runs even deeper. "Returning to football's biggest stage after a long absence carries a special meaning for millions of supporters who have waited years, and in some cases decades, for this moment."

The associations challenged the notion that any qualifying nation deserves less respect than another: "To suggest that these matches are somehow less important is deeply disappointing and fails to recognise the efforts, sacrifices, and aspirations of players, coaches, clubs, football leaders, and supporters across the world."

A message on football's universality

The joint statement went further, framing their objection as a defence of the sport's global identity. "Behind every qualification stand years of work and investment. Behind every national team stand entire communities and millions of people who see football as a source of pride, hope, and unity."

"Football does not belong to a select group of nations. Its strength comes from its universality," the statement continued. "Every nation that qualifies deserves respect. Every team has earned its place on merit. Every supporter has the right to dream. Every match carries meaning for millions of people around the world."

The associations concluded by reaffirming their vision for the sport: "The growth of football must continue to create opportunities, inspire new generations, and strengthen the truly global nature of our game."

UEFA has been contacted for comment by BBC Sport.