Haze from Canadian wildfires has blanketed the New York region, prompting officials in New York and New Jersey to issue an air quality health alert just days before the World Cup final. The smoke, which arrived in New York City on 15 July, has forced residents to reduce outdoor exertion and stay indoors if possible. New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is set to host the final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, 19 July (20:00 BST).
Conditions deteriorated just before Spain landed in New Jersey on Wednesday night, a day after their semi-final victory over France in Texas. Spain spent Thursday training outdoors, looking unaffected by the air quality, and have not commented on whether they are concerned. However, the Spanish camp has been hit by an injury worry: Lamine Yamal, who has not been at his best this tournament after arriving with a niggling hamstring problem, missed training days before the final.
“Air quality alert issued in New Jersey as wildfire smoke threatens World Cup final; Spain's Lamine Yamal misses training with hamstring injury.”
Argentina, meanwhile, stayed in Georgia after their semi-final win over England and will begin training in New Jersey on Friday afternoon. The smoke-filled sky and extremely hot temperatures have already been experienced by some footballers. The National Women's Soccer League went ahead with a match between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit on Wednesday night in front of a record crowd at Citi Field in Queens despite the orange haze. The air quality index meant players were mandated to take two breaks per half according to NWSL policy. Washington Spirit's Trinity Rodman said after the match that the air quality was rough, and in her opinion, they shouldn't have played. “Not to make excuses at all, but I think on both sides we were all like, 'another break, another break, another break',” Rodman said.
Contractor Dan Edgar said his daughter Kaitlynn was practising at New York New Jersey Stadium on Thursday, where she will be dancing and performing for the final. “She's texting me that it's bad out there,” he said. “It's hard to dance, she says you can feel the air, it's heavy.”
New Yorkers are relieved conditions are not as intense as they were in June 2023, when the skies turned completely orange because of Canadian wildfires. New York New Jersey Stadium is an open-air facility, but at the moment there is no suggestion the World Cup final, with more than 80,000 spectators and a star-studded half-time show, will be affected. The air quality in the area is expected to improve on Friday while forecast rain on Saturday should further help disperse some of the smoke.
On Thursday, the Major League Soccer match between Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed because of poor air quality conditions in the Chicago area. Former Bayern Munich and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski was set to make his debut for Chicago having joined as a free agent last month.
With Yamal's absence from training and the smoky haze menacing the final venue, both Spain and Argentina face uncertainties ahead of Sunday's showpiece.
