The thick smoke from Canadian wildfires that has engulfed New York City and much of the eastern seaboard in recent days has drawn wry smiles in Dallas and Los Angeles, where locals will watch with schadenfreude as the World Cup final takes place at the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on Sunday. Those cities' stadiums, passed over when FIFA awarded the final in February 2024, are more impressive venues without the same climatic risks as New York, which was chosen for its global appeal and favorable time zone for European television audiences.
Air Quality Concerns and Health Risks
Initial concerns over staging the final at MetLife focused on extreme summer heat, which Chelsea's Enzo Fernández described as "very dangerous" after last year's Club World Cup semi-final. Now, poor air quality from wildfires in Canada has presented FIFA with an unexpected curveball. An air quality advisory was altered from "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" late on Thursday. New York City Hall's emergency management officials issued a citywide code red from Tuesday to Thursday, telling residents to stay inside and avoid strenuous exercise—hardly conditions for the biggest match in global sport, expected to attract a worldwide television audience of 1.6 billion.
The smoke was clearly visible in downtown Manhattan, obscuring the Statue of Liberty across the Hudson River. Conditions were so bad that many flights from Newark airport were cancelled. Conditions began to improve on Friday, and FIFA officials are confident the situation will improve for Sunday, especially with rain forecast for Saturday. However, sport has already been affected: a National Women's Soccer League match between Gotham and Washington Spirit in Queens on Wednesday took place in an orange-brown haze, with players ordered to take two additional breaks per half under the NWSL's poor air policy.
Travel Troubles and High Costs
Getting to the stadium remains a major issue. MetLife is notoriously inaccessible, with limited public transport and the perilous Lincoln Tunnel linking Manhattan to New Jersey. Parking is available only for guests and VIPs on Sunday. Bus and rail travel costs have been increased significantly for the tournament. A joint intervention from New York and New Jersey governments provided a subsidy, reducing the initial matchday return price of $150 on New Jersey Transit trains to $98—still steep for a 20-minute journey. Shuttle buses from Manhattan are available for $20.
Trump's Presence and FIFA's Concerns
Donald Trump is likely to make a showy entrance, with Marine One flying over the stadium before landing at Teterboro airport. Managing the president is another concern for FIFA. After Trump appeared to gatecrash Chelsea's celebrations after winning the Club World Cup last year, leaving captain Reece James bemused, FIFA has attempted to get ahead by confirming Trump will present the trophy alongside President Gianni Infantino. A precedent was set four years ago when the emir of Qatar placed a traditional Arab cloak on Lionel Messi's shoulders. With Trump, there is no knowing what he may have planned. FIFA held talks with the president at Trump Tower on Friday afternoon, requiring road closures that caused chaos on Fifth Avenue.
