According to a Forbes report, the air quality is expected to be moderate in East Rutherford, where the match will be held, with weather conditions improving before kick-off time, making the possibility of postponing the final weak so far.
Smoke from the fires covered parts of New York and New Jersey on Friday, before quantities of it remained in the air on Saturday morning. This prompted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to meet with officials at the White House, to discuss potential health risks to players, fans and referees.
Sports journalist Rob Harris, from Sky News, reported that the discussion focused on “the potential health risks caused by wildfire smoke in the New York and New Jersey area.”
IQAir data indicates that the air quality in East Rutherford will be moderate at match time, with an index of about 80, after the region suffered from unhealthy air for sensitive groups on Saturday.
Tyler Royce, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather, told ESPN that a storm front in the northeastern United States on Saturday will push a large portion of the smoke out of the region before the final begins on Sunday.
Despite these positive expectations, the possibility remains that the situation will change. Canadian data indicate that 126 fires are still “out of control,” with some fires expected to continue to grow and heavy smoke to rise, especially from the fires in western Ontario.
Air quality predictions are still relatively difficult, because they depend on variable factors such as wind direction, smoke density, and the way pollution is transported over long distances.
So far, there are no serious indications that the final will be postponed. According to sources who spoke to ESPN, FIFA does not show much concern about the impact of air quality on the match, especially with the improvement in weather forecasts. The US Meteorological Service also expects sunny weather and a temperature of approximately 82 degrees Fahrenheit on the day of the match.
But the smoke has already affected other sporting events. An American League match between the Chicago Fire and the Vancouver Whitecaps was canceled Thursday and moved to October, after fires caused dangerous air quality in Chicago. The Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets game was also moved forward one hour due to concerns about polluted air in Philadelphia.
Canada is currently witnessing more than 950 active fires, while Canadian authorities said that hot and dry weather may lead to more fires in the coming days. More than 120,000 people were evacuated due to the fire.
Chicago and Detroit were among the American cities most affected by smoke, as their air quality indicators reached very dangerous levels. New York and Washington also recorded unhealthy levels during the past days.
For Sunday’s final, the picture looks better. But before the starting whistle between Messi and his teammates and European champion Spain, the air itself will remain under surveillance, in a final that FIFA does not want the smoke of fires to precede its major football story.
