A potentially serious threat is hanging over Sunday's World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, with wildfire smoke expected to affect both the players and tens of thousands of spectators arriving at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Hundreds of wildfires across Canada have created a vast plume of smoke over the eastern part of the continent, disrupting daily life in several major North American cities. The final is scheduled for July 19 at the venue officially designated by FIFA as New York New Jersey Stadium.
According to the Canadian government, hundreds of fires are burning across the country, many of them still out of control. Reuters reported Thursday that the smoke was rapidly spreading south, although it had not yet reached dangerous levels in all major cities.
Toronto residents awoke to orange skies and an air-quality health index reading of 10, the highest and most dangerous level on the Canadian scale. Authorities urged residents to avoid spending time outdoors whenever possible. Air-quality monitoring company IQAir ranked Toronto as having the worst air quality in the world Thursday.
The smoke was also clearly visible across northern US cities, including Detroit, Boston, Minneapolis and New York. Forecasters said it was expected to linger over the region for several more days, with additional smoke moving south from Canada.
New York and New Jersey are preparing for a packed weekend that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of soccer fans to the region as the World Cup concludes beneath smoke-filled skies. Gov. Kathy Hochul urged residents to limit outdoor activity, particularly those with heart or lung conditions. State officials expanded an air-quality advisory across New York and advised the public to take precautions.
In Canada, organizers canceled World Cup fan-festival events, including a public screening of the semifinal between England and Argentina, because of the wildfire smoke.
