“We hold Canada accountable.”With these words, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has thrown out the politics in the preparation of the final of the FIFA World Cup on Sunday, blamed Canada for the smoke of the fire that covered parts of the northeastern United States and raised new uncertainty about the conditions for the biggest football match.In a post on his social platform, Trump said that the United States “is needlessly invaded by unclean, polluted and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous and totally unacceptable!” He also threatened new tariffs on Canada over smoke drifting south from massive wildfires burning across the country.The comments came as organizers, teams and meteorologists continue to closely monitor air quality ahead of the Argentina-Spain final at the open-air New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, where nearly 80,000 fans are expected.While forecasts currently predict “moderate” air quality from kickoff, experts warn uncertainty remains whether another wave of smoke could follow the heavy rain expected on Saturday.
The smoky forecast leaves the World Cup final under a cloud
Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino admitted the smoke was impossible to ignore, saying the players could both “see and feel” the fog hanging over northern New Jersey.However, the midfielder insisted Spain were trying to block the distraction.“For a game as important as a World Cup final, you have to be able to shut out external factors as much as possible,” said Merino. “Fortunately, we are paying attention to every detail thanks to the federation and the organizers.”Spain trained outdoors on Thursday despite dangerous air quality, a decision that drew criticism from health experts who believed the session should have been moved indoors.Scientists say the uncertainty lies in what will happen after Saturday’s rain forecast.Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service, warned that another smoky air mass could quickly follow the climate system if fire activity intensifies.“The question is whether the smoke behind that system will reach ground level over northern New Jersey on Sunday and, if so, how concentrated it will become,” added Weather Channel meteorologist Jonathan Belles, noting that forecasts currently range from little ground smoke to concentrations that could become more worrisome for players and spectators.Medical experts have warned that even “moderate” air pollution can affect elite athletes because intense exercise increases the amount of polluted air inhaled.
FIFA confident despite weather problems
Despite the lingering uncertainty, tournament organizers remain optimistic that the final will proceed without interruption.Trump met FIFA president Gianni Infantino in New York on Friday, where both leaders hailed the expanded 48-team tournament as a major success.Alongside the World Cup trophy, Infantino praised the impact of the event.“The American dream, Mr. President, has come true. We have united the world,” he said, adding that millions of fans had gathered “peacefully, in a joyful way” in the United States, Canada and Mexico.Trump echoed those sentiments, calling the competition “one of the greatest sporting events of all time in history” before wishing the two finalists well.“So good luck to Spain and Argentina on Sunday, and may the better team win,” the US president said.With record attendances, sold-out stadiums and global television audiences already making the tournament one of FIFA’s biggest successes, organizers will now hope that the only drama left on Sunday comes on the pitch – and not from the smoky skies over New Jersey.