New York issues air quality alert days before World Cup final due to wildfire smoke
New York and New Jersey officials have issued an air quality health alert just days before the World Cup final, caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires. The final between Spain and Argentina is scheduled for Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, with no current indication it will be affected.
Officials in New York and New Jersey have issued an air quality health alert due to haze from Canadian wildfires blanketing the region, just days before the World Cup final. The final, featuring Spain vs Argentina, will be held on Sunday, 19 July at 20:00 BST at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Spain arrived in New Jersey on Wednesday night, a day after their semi-final victory over France in Texas. The team trained outdoors on Thursday and appeared unaffected by the air quality. They have not commented on any concerns. Argentina, meanwhile, remained in Georgia after their semi-final win over England and will begin training in New Jersey on Friday afternoon.
Contractor Dan Edgar said his daughter Kaitlynn was practicing at the stadium on Thursday for a dance performance during the final. "She's texting me that it's bad out there. It's hard to dance, she says you can feel the air, it's heavy," he said. The smoky skies and extreme heat have already affected footballers. The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) match between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit went ahead on Wednesday night at Citi Field in Queens despite the orange haze, with players required to take two breaks per half under league policy. Washington Spirit's Trinity Rodman said after the match that the air quality was rough and, in her opinion, they should not have played.
New Yorkers are relieved conditions are not as intense as June 2023, when the skies turned completely orange from Canadian wildfires. New York New Jersey Stadium is an open-air facility, but there is no suggestion the final, with over 80,000 spectators and a star-studded halftime show, will be affected. Air quality is expected to improve on Friday, and forecast rain on Saturday should further disperse the smoke. On Thursday, the Major League Soccer match between Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed due to poor air quality in the Chicago area. Former Bayern Munich and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski was set to make his debut for Chicago in that match, having joined as a free agent last month.
