The wildfires burning in Canada have sent the noxious smog billowing across the border, with residents in New York, the U.S. capital Washington, and the American Midwest urged to stay indoors due to dangerously low air quality.
At one point on Saturday, the smoke made New York the most polluted city in the world, followed closely by Toronto and Washington, according to air tracker IQAir.
The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor is seen through a cover of wildfire smoke in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S., July 16, 2026. Photo by Reuters
The marquee World Cup match, pitting Argentina against Spain, will be played Sunday in an open-air stadium across the river from Manhattan, where the skyline was obscured by dense smoke and people wore masks outdoors.
Tournament organizers are "monitoring closely," White House World Cup task force executive director Andrew Giuliani told a briefing.
