More than 100 wildfires burning across Canada have sent a wall of smoke drifting south into the US Northeast, triggering air quality advisories across all of New York State and parts of New Jersey. The timing could hardly be worse: the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, where over 80,000 spectators are expected to pack into what’s been temporarily rebranded as New York New Jersey Stadium.
As of July 16, air quality monitoring platforms classified conditions near the stadium as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Particulate matter, specifically PM2.5, the tiny particles that burrow deep into lungs, has reached unhealthy or very unhealthy levels across the tri-state area.
What’s actually happening on the ground
FIFA and local organizers have not announced any plans to postpone the World Cup final despite the conditions. The match is set for 3 p.m. ET on July 19, and the show, apparently, will go on.
Meteorologists are forecasting relief. A cold front accompanied by rain is expected to push through the region before the match, potentially scrubbing the air clean enough to bring PM2.5 levels back to manageable territory.
