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By Vikram Iyer — 18 July 2026 — 4 min read

The upcoming World Cup final in the New York New Jersey Stadium, also known as MetLife Stadium, is facing several challenges, including lingering smoke from Canadian wildfires, complex travel logistics, and the anticipated presence of Donald Trump. The final is scheduled for Sunday, and while officials express confidence in conditions improving, recent events have highlighted potential difficulties.

Smoke from wildfires in Canada has spread across much of the eastern seaboard, leading to air quality alerts in various US states. On Thursday, air quality advisories in the New York City metro area were elevated from “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy.” This thick haze has significantly impacted visibility, obscuring landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, and even leading to flight cancellations from Newark airport in New Jersey.

Emergency management officials in New York City issued a citywide code red from Tuesday to Thursday, advising residents to remain indoors and avoid strenuous physical activity. These conditions are far from ideal for a major global sporting event expected to draw a worldwide television audience of 1.6 billion. While conditions began to improve on Friday, with rain forecast for Saturday, the impact on sports has already been observed.

For instance, a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match between Gotham and Washington Spirit in Queens on Wednesday was played amidst an orange-brown haze. Players in that match were required to take two additional breaks during each half, adhering to the NWSL’s poor air quality policy. The possibility of similar stoppages in the World Cup final could lead to further discussion, especially given previous controversies surrounding hydration breaks introduced by Fifa.

Despite these environmental challenges, New York has shown strong engagement with the World Cup. All seven previous games held at MetLife Stadium have been sold out. Restaurant and bar bookings for viewing parties, such as England’s semi-final match against Argentina, were reportedly difficult to secure, indicating significant local interest in the tournament.

Beyond the weather, travel to the stadium presents another significant concern. MetLife Stadium is known among NFL fans for its limited public transport options and the difficulties associated with navigating the Lincoln Tunnel, which connects Manhattan to New Jersey. Parking on Sunday is restricted to guests and VIPs, and the cost of public transport, including bus and rail, has been substantially increased for the tournament.

Initially, a return ticket price of $150 for New Jersey Transit trains was set. However, a joint intervention and subsidy from the governments of New York and New Jersey reduced this to $98 for a journey that typically takes around 20 minutes. For those finding these prices prohibitive, shuttle buses from Manhattan will be available at a cost of $20.

Another factor drawing attention is the expected arrival of Donald Trump. His helicopter, Marine One, is anticipated to fly over the stadium before landing at nearby Teterboro airport. Fifa is reportedly managing his presence, especially after a previous incident where he appeared to join Chelsea’s celebrations after their Club World Cup victory, which reportedly left captain Reece James surprised.

To address potential issues, Fifa has confirmed that Donald Trump will present the trophy alongside Gianni Infantino. This arrangement follows a precedent set four years prior when the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, placed a traditional Arab cloak on Lionel Messi before he collected the trophy. Fifa officials held discussions with Donald Trump at Trump Tower on Friday afternoon, a meeting that necessitated road closures and caused disruption on Fifth Avenue.

Fifa confirmed on Friday that the negative air quality from the wildfires did not currently pose a threat to the World Cup final. Earlier in the day, tournament organizers stated they were closely monitoring the situation. Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House World Cup task force, noted that a representative from the National Weather Service is stationed at Fifa headquarters to assist with monitoring.

Meteorologists have provided insights into the smoke situation. Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, indicated that winds over the Great Lakes could push more smoke into the northeastern US, potentially maintaining hazy skies. However, he also mentioned that forecasts for the region anticipate some improvement. Joel Dreessen, an air quality forecaster for Maryland, highlighted that the key concern for the final is whether more smoke drifts south after weekend storm systems, as some models suggest this could occur.

While the smoke has been a recent concern, the region has also experienced other weather-related issues. Earlier in the tournament, a World Cup knockout match between Mexico and Ecuador was delayed for an hour due to stormy weather. Additionally, concerns about extreme heat in July prompted warnings regarding potential heat safety issues for some knockout matches, with a powerful “heat dome” bringing high temperatures to several host cities.

The Canadian wildfires, which are the source of the smoke, continue to be active, with over 200 fires burning out of control in Canada, particularly in Ontario. As of last Friday, nearly 1.6 million hectares had burned since the start of the year, a figure that escalated to nearly 2.8 million hectares by the most recent government figures.

Source: theguardian.com