Spain-Argentina: Could the 2026 World Cup final be postponed due to the fires in Canada?

Air quality has deteriorated significantly in New York two days before the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. Could it lead to a postponement of the match? Unlikely, at this stage.

Is the 2026 World Cup final in jeopardy? Two days before the highly anticipated match between Spain and Argentina , a (very) slight doubt exists due to the skies over New York. The horizon has been completely obscured since Thursday because of smoke from the wildfires currently raging in Canada.

The Big Apple is shrouded in a cloud of smoke before the World Cup final, and authorities have even placed the region on high alert. This Friday, the government's AirNow website rated the air quality in New York City as "unhealthy," giving it a score of 184 due to the smoke.

"Some members of the general public may experience health effects," the federal agency specifies. "People belonging to vulnerable groups may suffer more serious effects."

Concern in Spain and Argentina: Lewandowski's debut postponed

In the Spanish press, several newspapers, such as As and Sport, are concerned about the potential repercussions on the World Cup final. The same is true in Argentina, where TyC Sports and Diario Olé point out that sporting events have already been canceled in New York and the northern United States due to the significant smoke plume. For example, Robert Lewandowski 's debut with the Chicago Fire (the irony is striking) against the Vancouver Whitecaps was postponed to October 6th due to poor air quality following the wildfires in Canada.

"We share the disappointment of our fans, especially given the excitement surrounding our first game after the World Cup break and the anticipation of welcoming more than 40,000 fans to Soldier Field," Chicago Fire boss Dave Baldwin even reacted via a statement from the Illinois team.

"While we know this decision is disappointing, health and safety remain the top priority."

Towards a reduction in risks before the final

Beyond a score of 200, the health risks can be felt by the entire population and will be even more severe beyond an air pollution level of 300.

However, the players of La Roja and Albiceleste are top-level athletes and are in perfect health. None of the finalists are considered at risk, and their activities do not need to be limited as a precaution.

On the positive side, while air quality was deemed "very unhealthy" on Thursday, it has improved somewhat. Even better, the New York State agency responsible for monitoring environmental issues is optimistic about the situation leading up to Sunday, the day of the final at MetLife Stadium .

"The DEC continues to observe 'unhealthy' air quality in western and central New York State, the Southern Tier, Rockland, Westchester, New York City and Long Island, with a change in weather expected and a decrease in smoke plumes forecast during the day," reads a

A postponement or cancellation is virtually impossible.

At this time, it is therefore difficult, even unimaginable, to postpone the 2026 World Cup final. First, air quality may fall below the risk threshold for populations, including the most vulnerable individuals.

Furthermore, it seems unlikely that FIFA and the authorities would agree to postpone the match between Spain and Argentina, given the sporting and economic stakes surrounding the event. The final between Lamine Yamal 's team and Lionel Messi 's is set to become the most expensive match in history in terms of ticket sales, with some tickets fetching over two million dollars. In short, and as the British tabloid The Sun also points out, there is currently no indication that FIFA is considering postponing this global clash.

While the risk of further complications cannot be entirely ruled out (though highly unlikely), the 2026 World Cup final is not expected to be directly affected by the smoke in New York. The players will test themselves this Friday during their training session in the American city. This will be an opportunity to confirm that their performance will not be affected by the ambient air, however "unhealthy" it may be.

Jean-Guy Lebreton