The governments of New York and New Jersey have issued health warnings due to worsening air quality just days before the 2026 World Cup final. Smoke and dust from wildfires occurring in Canada continue to cover this area.
A thick layer of smoke from wildfires has covered the skies of many areas in the Great Lakes and East Coast regions of the United States, seriously reducing visibility, forcing authorities to issue a warning that outdoor air can be dangerous to breathe.
Authorities in some major cities recommend that people stay at home or wear masks when going out, because the level of air pollution reaches an unhealthy to dangerous level. That is, these weather conditions can affect anyone's health, regardless of whether they have underlying medical conditions or not.
The highly anticipated final between Spain and Argentina is expected to take place at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19 (local time).
Air quality began to worsen right before the Spanish team set foot in New Jersey on Wednesday evening, 1 day after they defeated the French team in the semi-finals in Texas.
Despite these weather conditions, La Roja still practiced outdoors on Thursday without any obvious obstacles and without any official concerns about air quality.
Meanwhile, the Argentine team stayed in Georgia after the victory over England and is expected to have their first training session in New Jersey on Friday.
Forest fire smoke has affected other sports events
The smoky skies and rising temperatures have affected sports events in the area.
Poor air quality forced the organizers to postpone the MLS match between Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire at Soldier Field Stadium, and cancel the concert after the match as planned.
On Wednesday, the US National Women's Football League (NWSL) still scheduled the match between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit at Citi Field, despite a thick layer of orange smoke covering the stadium.
Due to the poor Air Quality Index (AQI), the tournament regulations require 2 breaks for players to replenish water in each half. After the match, Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman frankly shared that she believed that match should not have taken place.
However, the current conditions are not as serious as in June 2023, when smoke from wildfires in Canada once dyed the sky of New York City to a haunting orange color.
Currently, there are no signs that the World Cup final on the morning of July 20 (Vietnam time) will be affected.
Air quality is forecast to improve today, and forecast rains on Saturday will help dispel most of the smoke left over before the historic match between Spain and Argentina.
This match is expected to attract more than 80,000 fans along with a mid-morning performance gathering a lineup of famous stars.
