Polish star Robert Lewandowski’s Major League Soccer debut was on hold Thursday after the match between the Chicago Fire and Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed due to air quality issues caused by wildfires.
Smoke from the fires, which are ravaging the Canadian province of Ontario, spread Thursday through the United States with border states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois particularly choked.
Thursday’s scheduled clash at the Fire’s stadium was pushed back to October 6, the club said in a statement.
“The decision to reschedule the match was reached in close consultation with local health experts, MLS, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and the City of Chicago,” the Fire said.
Some 40,000 fans had been expected at Soldier Field for a match that was part of MLS’s restart in the wake of its World Cup break.
