Bacary Sagna backs USA to deliver World Cup spectacle

Dubai: Former Arsenal and France defender Bacary Sagna has backed the United States to put on a spectacular World Cup, believing players and fans can look forward to a memorable and exciting experience.

Sagna, who appeared as a guest on the inaugural episode of ‘The Gulf News World Cup Podcast’, spent the final season of his playing career with MLS side Montreal Impact before bringing the curtain down on a distinguished career.

The 43-year-old, who has been a Dubai resident for the past five years, spoke fondly of his time in the States and backed the country to deliver a memorable 2026 World Cup.

“I loved it, it was a show,” said Sagna when asked about playing in America.

“Americans are entertainers so I believe it’s going to be a party for football and people will thoroughly enjoy it.”

Amongst the criticism surrounding the tournament, FIFA’s decision to introduce a half-time show for the final at the New York, New Jersey Stadium has raised eyebrows amongst football fans.

Traditionalists argue that it risks Americanising football’s biggest stage and shifting focus away from the match itself.

However, Sagna believes it is a positive move, especially for the players who reach the final, who will get more time to recover during what will be one of the biggest games of their careers.

“For the first time in World Cup history we are going to have a half-time show, which is good, because you need to entertain people,” he explained.

“The players will be happy, they will have more time to rest. Half-time goes fast and suddenly you have to go back out to the field, so I see it as more of an advantage for the players that they get some extra time.”

Another key talking point ahead of the 2026 World Cup has been the intense summer heat expected in several U.S. host cities, raising concerns over how it could impact players during matches.

Having experienced the American heat during his playing career Sagna is well aware of how demanding those conditions can be, and believes adaptation will be crucial for teams to cope with the physical strain.

He also reflected on his own experiences at international level, recalling how he struggled in his first World Cup in South Africa during a group-stage clash against Mexico, where the conditions made the game particularly difficult.

Sagna stressed that players will have to be prepared for similar challenges in 2026, with heat and humidity potentially playing a major role in how matches unfold.

 “The nutrition for the players will be different for sure,” stated Sagna.

“They are going to have the water breaks during games so I think the environment will help them to try and cope with the heat. If they’re playing in Texas for example, the humidity is high I played there and it’s very hot but an athlete is an athlete and I think their bodies adapts.

“We (the France team) struggled in South Africa against Mexico because the game was at a high altitude, that was an issue because you have a feeling that there is less oxygen, people don’t understand that if you sprint and can’t catch your breath as quick is makes a huge difference.”