Wildfire smoke blankets eastern US ahead of World Cup final in New Jersey

WASHINGTON: Thick smoke from Canadian wildfires spread across the eastern United States on Saturday, disrupting conditions ahead of the World Cup final scheduled for Sunday at an open-air stadium in New Jersey.

The smoke drifted south from fires burning in Canada, prompting authorities to urge residents in New York, Washington and parts of the US Midwest to remain indoors because of hazardous air quality. According to air quality tracker IQAir, New York City was at one stage the most polluted city in the world on Saturday, with Toronto and Washington also ranking near the top.

The final, featuring Argentina and Spain, is due to be played in New Jersey across the river from New York City. In New York, dense haze obscured the skyline and many people were seen wearing masks outdoors. Media members gathered in Morristown, New Jersey, after an Argentina training session was postponed amid the adverse conditions.

Tournament organisers were keeping watch on the situation. White House World Cup task force executive director Andrew Giuliani said officials were monitoring developments closely as heavy storms were forecast for New York on Saturday. The storms were expected to help clear some of the smoke, but they also raised the risk of flash flooding and strong winds.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged people to avoid unnecessary movement and stay indoors. Writing on X, he said:

Thunderstorms are expected to bring damaging winds strong enough to down trees and power lines, along with heavy rainfall that could cause flash flooding

The US National Weather Service said smoke would continue to affect the area through Saturday afternoon. In Washington, the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said air quality was unhealthy for vulnerable groups, including children and older people, and advised them to limit outdoor exposure.

Canada continued to face a major wildfire burden. The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System reported that more than 950 wildfires were active across the country as of Saturday morning.

US President Donald Trump blamed Canada for the smoke pollution and threatened further tariffs, accusing the country of willful negligence and saying it was not properly maintaining its forests. The recurring spread of wildfire smoke has also been linked by advocates to climate change.