Officials in New York and New Jersey have issued an air-quality health advisory due to wildfire smoke just days before the World Cup final.
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has settled over the New York area, and authorities are urging people to limit strenuous activity outdoors and stay inside when possible.
New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is set to host the Spain–Argentina final on Sunday, 19 July (20:00 BST).
Conditions worsened shortly before Spain arrived in New Jersey on Wednesday night, a day after their semi-final win over France in Texas. The team trained outdoors on Thursday and appeared unaffected; they have not said whether they’re concerned.
Argentina remained in Georgia after defeating England in the semi-final and will begin training in New Jersey on Friday afternoon.
Contractor Dan Edgar said his daughter, Kaitlynn, was rehearsing at New York New Jersey Stadium on Thursday ahead of her dance performance at the final. He said she texted that conditions felt poor—she found it hard to dance and described the air as heavy.
Some players have already dealt with smoky skies and extreme heat. The NWSL played Gotham FC vs Washington Spirit on Wednesday night at Citi Field in Queens before a record crowd, despite the orange haze.
Due to the air quality index, NWSL rules required two hydration breaks per half. Afterward, Washington Spirit’s Trinity Rodman said the air was harsh and, in her view, the match shouldn’t have gone ahead. She added that players on both sides kept wanting additional breaks.
New Yorkers are relieved the situation isn’t as severe as in June 2023, when Canadian wildfires turned the sky deep orange.
Although New York New Jersey Stadium is open air, there is currently no indication the World Cup final—expected to draw over 80,000 fans and feature a high-profile halftime show—will be disrupted.
Air quality is forecast to improve on Friday, and expected rain on Saturday should help clear more smoke.
Separately, Thursday’s MLS match between the Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed due to poor air quality in the Chicago area.
Former Bayern Munich and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski had been set to make his Chicago debut after signing as a free agent last month.