The air pollution crisis cast a shadow over the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday at an open-air stadium in New Jersey.
Large parts of the American Midwest and areas in the northeastern United States are experiencing the spread of thick clouds of smoke resulting from the ongoing wildfires in Canada, the effects of which have extended in recent days to New York State, which is hosting the 2026 World Cup final.
The executive director of the White House World Cup task force, Andrew Giuliani, confirmed that organizers are monitoring the situation "very closely," while the official tournament app included recommendations for fans to stay indoors as much as possible or wear masks when necessary.
Peter Mullenkes, an expert at the US National Weather Service, told AFP that northwesterly winds would push some of the smoke toward the northeastern United States, but he explained that forecasts did not indicate that air quality would deteriorate on Sunday to the level seen in the region in recent days.
He added that the atmosphere during the match may remain hazy, but the smoke density is not expected to reach the levels currently recorded.
US President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Canada, accusing it of causing air pollution that has blanketed large areas of the northeastern United States, including the New York area, where the World Cup football final is being held on Sunday.
Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that the United States is being subjected to an "unjustified invasion of dirty, polluted and unhealthy air," adding that he would contact the Canadian side to find out what measures Ottawa intends to take to contain the crisis.
But FIFA has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will take place as scheduled, despite a red alert being issued in New York due to deteriorating air quality and high temperatures.
MetLife Stadium, located about 15 kilometers west of Manhattan, is scheduled to host the final match on Sunday evening, amid close monitoring of weather and environmental developments in the area.
The deteriorating air quality has led to precautionary measures being taken in some sporting events. On Thursday evening, the Major League Soccer (MLS) decided to postpone the Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps match, which was scheduled to take place at Soldier Field in Chicago, due to health concerns related to air quality.
Last Thursday, the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) classified the air quality as "unhealthy for everyone," in a rare warning reflecting high levels of pollution in the atmosphere.
Despite conditions improving somewhat on Friday, the US National Weather Service (NWS) issued a warning about the possibility of air quality deteriorating again on Saturday.
Weather forecasts indicated that winds ranging in speed from 15 to 20 kilometers per hour could help dissipate the smoke clouds on Saturday, before their speed drops to about 10 kilometers per hour on Sunday.
In light of these developments, FIFA confirmed that the World Cup final is not under any threat at the moment, noting that it continues to monitor the situation in coordination with local authorities and relevant bodies.
