New York's sky began to breathe a sigh of relief less than 48 hours before the World Cup final, after a notable improvement in air quality that had threatened to disrupt the tournament's closing spectacle.

Data from the National Weather Service and the AirNow air quality monitoring agency showed the pollution index dropped from 185 to 170 and then to 124 currently, after peaking at 264 on Wednesday in the 'very unhealthy' category, which is 15 times worse than normal.

This improvement moved the city out of the dangerous purple zone it entered on Thursday, into the orange zone which means the air is 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' only, after pollution levels dropped by more than 50%.

Authorities had issued a stern warning at 4 a.m. Friday, stating that 'the situation has worsened compared to yesterday, and anyone may start to feel health effects that could become dangerous for sensitive groups,' due to fine particulate matter PM2.5 from more than 100 active wildfires in Canada, which can infiltrate the bloodstream.

On the air quality index ranging from 0 to 500, where a reading of 100 is harmful to sensitive groups, 150 dangerous for normal life, and 200 extremely hazardous, New York recorded 124 after distributing free KN95 masks at hundreds of locations across the five boroughs and issuing recommendations to reduce outdoor physical activity.

Weather forecasts offer an additional glimmer of hope, with heavy rain expected Saturday night in the New York area, which could significantly help dissipate the thick smoke, although it will not completely solve the problem, but it will be enough to save the final match from the specter of postponement.

Canadian wildfire smoke is blanketing the sky over New York. Before-and-after images show the impact of the smoke, which has created dangerous air quality for millions. pic.twitter.com/I4w6iD8R8g — AccuWeather (@accuweather) July 17, 2026