The joint statement, released on Sunday by Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, DR Congo, Haiti, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and South Africa, firmly rebutted Ceferin's comments. Ceferin reportedly told a conference in Ljubljana that the tournament's expansion from 32 to 48 teams leads to "completely uninteresting" matches, though he acknowledged small nations can "feel the pulse of the World Cup."
The 13 nations' response stated: "We respectfully but firmly reject these comments. For our countries, there is no such thing as an unimportant World Cup match. For Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan, qualification for the FIFA World Cup represents a historic achievement and the realisation of a dream shared by generations."
The statement emphasised that behind every qualification stand years of work and investment. For DR Congo and Haiti, returning to the World Cup after years of absence carries special significance for millions of supporters. "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," the joint statement concluded.