The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, scheduled for Sunday, faces an unusual threat just hours before kickoff, as smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed the skies over New York and New Jersey, raising concerns about air quality and its potential impact on players and spectators. This comes amid informal discussions between the White House and FIFA to monitor developments.

In recent days, air quality has deteriorated sharply as smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Ontario, Canada, drifted to the northeastern United States. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported 897 active fires, including 31 new ones, with most burning out of control. This coincided with a severe heatwave across North America, pushing temperatures in Ontario and the northeastern U.S. to high levels.

The phenomenon known as a 'heat dome' contributed to trapping smoke near the ground, as a high-pressure area prevented its dispersion, leading to hot, humid, hazy and smoky conditions in several U.S. cities.

Data from a specialized air quality monitoring platform showed New York was among the worst-affected U.S. cities, along with Detroit, Washington, and Chicago. Forecasts indicated a gradual improvement by the end of the week, thanks to expected rain.

MetLife Stadium, which seats about 82,500 and will host the final, is located just a few miles from Manhattan. The air quality reading in East Rutherford, where the stadium stands, was slightly lower than in New York, with an Air Quality Index of 158 on Friday morning, still within the unhealthy range.

The smoke also affected other sports events: a Major League Soccer match between Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed due to poor air quality, and the start time of a New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies game in Major League Baseball was moved up by one hour for the same reason.

Weather forecasts predict continued smoke, but at lower density, with temperatures reaching 32°C. Rain expected on Saturday may help clear the air, though its effectiveness is uncertain.

Forecasts indicate rain will continue through Sunday morning, with smoke gradually dissipating before the final match kicks off, under expected temperatures of around 29°C.

The 2026 World Cup final, which brings together the teams of Spain and Argentina tomorrow (Sunday), faces an unusual threat just hours before its kickoff, as smoke from Canadian wildfires has covered the skies of New York and New Jersey, raising concerns about air quality and its potential impact on players and fans, amid informal discussions between the White House and FIFA to monitor the situation's developments.

In recent days, there has been a sharp decline in air quality due to smoke drifting from hundreds of wildfires in Ontario, Canada, to the northeastern United States, with the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reporting 897 active fires, including 31 new ones, the majority of which are out of control, coinciding with a strong heatwave that has hit North America, pushing temperatures in Ontario and the northeastern United States to high levels.

The phenomenon known as a "heat dome" has contributed to trapping the smoke near the ground, as a high-pressure area has prevented its dispersion, resulting in hot, humid conditions filled with fog and smoke in several American cities.

Data from a platform specialized in monitoring air quality showed that New York was one of the most affected American cities, along with Detroit, Washington, and Chicago, while forecasts indicated a gradual improvement in conditions by the end of the week thanks to expected rain.

The report clarified that MetLife Stadium, which accommodates around 82,500 spectators and is hosting the final match, is located just a few miles from Manhattan, while the air quality reading in East Rutherford, where the stadium is located, was slightly lower than in New York, with an air quality index of 158 points on Friday morning, but it remained within the unhealthy level.

The impact of the smoke extended to other sporting events, as the match between Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer was postponed due to poor air quality, and the start time of the New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies game in Major League Baseball was moved up by one hour for the same reason.

Weather forecasts predict that smoke will continue to linger, but at a lower density, with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius, while rain is expected today (Saturday) that may help clear the air, although estimating its effectiveness is challenging.

Forecasts indicated that rain would continue until Sunday morning, with smoke expected to gradually dissipate before the final match kicks off, with anticipated temperatures around 29 degrees Celsius.