Canadian wildfires, raging over the weekend, hit eighteen U.S. states and threw a massive curveball at the biggest sporting event on the calendar this year: the World Cup final. Can you believe it? Argentina and Spain, the two teams battling it out for global glory, were actually forced to train in unsafe conditions in the days leading up to the final. It was a serious threat to derail the whole spectacle!
The Smoggy Lead-Up to the Biggest Game
The smoke from those fires scorched Canada’s beautiful landscape, leading to some seriously unhealthy air quality readings in dozens of U.S. cities, including East Rutherford, New Jersey, the very spot where Sunday’s World Cup final is happening. On Friday and Saturday night, air quality around New York City was just plain dangerous for anyone with sensitive lungs, making folks hunker down indoors. But Argentina and Spain? They didn’t have that luxury. Imagine being just days from the World Cup final, the pinnacle of your career, and having to breathe in hazardous conditions during practice. That’s what these guys faced on Thursday. It’s a wild thought for such a massive, global event.
The Forecast: Clearing Skies for Kickoff?
Thankfully, there’s a silver lining for Sunday. The World Health Organization had a forecast calling for better air quality conditions by Sunday afternoon, with readings expected to improve to “moderate” levels, according to IQAir. That’s a huge sigh of relief! IQAir also predicted New York City’s air quality index would drop significantly in the hours before the game, plummeting to 62 on Sunday, a far cry from the alarming 152 it hit just a day earlier. Authorities are definitely keeping a close eye on everything, ABC News reported, but get this: there are no plans to change the venue or the date for the World Cup final. Thunderstorms were expected to wash over the tri-state area on Saturday afternoon and evening, bringing potential flash flooding. But for Sunday’s game itself, the forecast is holding steady, with temperatures likely climbing into the mid-80s by kickoff.
Get Ready for Kickoff at MetLife!
So, after all that drama, the show will go on! The smoke is expected to clear out just in time for the match to kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. It’s gonna be a long one, too, with a 30-minute halftime break extending the game’s runtime. You know MetLife Stadium, right? That’s where our NFL pals, the New York Jets and New York Giants, usually play their home games. But it’s been one of the World Cup’s most popular spots this year, already hosting seven matches! Sunday’s final promises to be an absolute battle, and even with the wild lead-up, we’re all fired up to see who lifts that trophy.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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