Will Canadian Wildfire Smoke Threaten 2026 FIFA World Cup Final?
Newsweek · C · trust 51/100
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. As of Wednesday, July 15, more than 180 active wildfires blazed across Ontario, Canada, per The New York Times , and smoke from those Canadian wildfires are subsequently compromising air quality in the Northeast and portions of the Midwest.
The 2026 FIFA men's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain is scheduled to take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19, and there is concern about the hazardous air quality lingering in the area.
As of this writing, it appears the show will go on, but it is far from definitive that the wildfire smoke won't have a major impact on the World Cup final.
"Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the northeastern United States, triggering health alerts, but a cold front expected on the weekend will help dissipate the dangerous haze in time for Sunday's World Cup final in the New York area," Amy Tennery of Reuters wrote . If hazy and hot conditions remain until Sunday, however, they could prove challenging for players in the final, experts said."
Of note, The Queens Classic at Citi Field between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit of the NWSL went on as scheduled on Wednesday night, July 15, despite the air quality alerts. Gotham FC announced before the match, "We're on for tonight. Tonight's match will kick off as scheduled. The rain has cleared and air quality levels across the region remain below the threshold that would require us to postpone or cancel tonight's match."
In Chicago, however, Chicago Fire FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC postponed their MLS match at Soldier Field due to "poor air quality in the Chicago area resulting from wildfire smoke."
The New York Times is providing live updates here .
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