Several nations participating in the FIFA World Cup have publicly responded to remarks made by the UEFA president, who has expressed opposition to the planned expansion of the tournament to 48 teams. According to Al Jazeera, the nations in question described the comments as ‘disappointing’.

According to Al Jazeera, representatives of multiple World Cup-participating nations rejected the UEFA president’s criticism of FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup to 48 competing teams. The nations involved are reported to have characterised the remarks as unhelpful and out of step with the direction of global football governance.

The UEFA president had previously voiced reservations regarding FIFA’s expansion plan, positioning the European football governing body at odds with FIFA and a number of its member associations around the world.

Al Jazeera reports that the responses from World Cup nations reflect broader tensions within international football administration concerning the future scope and format of the global tournament. The expansion to 48 teams is scheduled to take effect at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

No official response from the UEFA president addressing the criticism from World Cup nations was available at the time of publication. The party could not be reached for comment.