Weather report for World Cup final revealed as concerns over dangerous air quality remain

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FT Desk

The 2026 World Cup final takes place this Sunday as Spain face Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.

Naturally, the focus will be on the action on the pitch, but pre-match there are naturally concerns about the weather and whether that could impact proceedings this weekend.

At this World Cup, we've already seen various matches delayed due to the weather. England versus Mexico in Mexico City was delayed by an hour due to severe storms, while France versus Iraq was halted for more than two hours.

The concerns surrounding the World Cup final aren't necessarily the weather, but rather, air quality.

Smoke is currently impacting air quality in parts of New York, being transported from large wildfires burning in Canada, and changing weather patterns have carried it into the Northeast. As a result, air quality has fluctuated between 'Moderate' and 'Unhealthy' in different parts of the state, including the New York City metropolitan area

New York Office of Emergency Management announced on Friday that the air quality was "unhealthy for everyone." On Thursday, it was described as "very unhealthy."

For most healthy people, moderate smoke levels may only cause minor irritation, such as itchy eyes or a sore throat.

However, when air quality reaches unhealthy levels, the smoke can make it more difficult to breathe and may trigger asthma attacks or worsen heart and lung conditions. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases are especially vulnerable to the effects of wildfire smoke.

The MLS fixture between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire at Chicago's Soldier Field was postponed on Thursday evening due to poor air quality.

Health officials in New York previously recommended reducing prolonged outdoor activity when air quality is poor, keeping windows closed if indoor air is cleaner, and using air conditioning on recirculation mode when possible.

Air quality is expected to improve over Saturday and Sunday, but there is expected to be rainfall, which could impact the circulation of the smoke.

At the moment, there are no concerns about air or weather safety for the final itself on Sunday.