Wildfire smoke blowing from Canada has blanketed large swaths of the Midwest and East Coast in recent hours, impacting over a dozen states. Some of the worst-hit cities face air quality considered hazardous, prompting officials to advise against outdoor activities. New York State issued an alert as the air quality index climbed to unhealthy and very unhealthy levels. This situation is particularly critical ahead of the 2026 World Cup final, scheduled for Sunday at an open-air stadium in the city.
As of Friday morning, air quality near the stadium remained in the unhealthy range, and while forecasts predict improvement to moderate by kickoff, smoke patterns could still shift. There is no way to close the open-air stadium where stars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are set to face off, meaning fans and players would almost certainly be exposed to smoke. Exposure can cause symptoms such as burning throat, coughing, and headache, and is especially dangerous for children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions like asthma.
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Players train outdoors despite unhealthy air
Teams have practiced outdoors during poor air quality events in the lead-up to the game. The Spanish national team held a practice on Thursday in New Jersey. As Courtney Howard, an emergency room physician and Global Climate and Health Alliance representative, stated, these high-level athletes move a lot of air through their lungs, and should not practice outside when wildfire-related air pollution reaches hazardous levels. Similar to the recent discovery about the Stardust app, which collected health data without transparency, FIFA appears to operate without a clear strategy for climate risks.
FIFA has no contingency plan for wildfire smoke
World Cup organizer FIFA does not appear to have any contingency plans for wildfire smoke. Neither FIFA nor the New York City Department of Health responded to requests for comment. In a previous statement, FIFA detailed extensive protocols related to extreme heat, including mandatory water breaks for players, but did not mention air quality. The organization stated that climate-related risks are assessed as part of overall tournament planning and managed in close coordination with host cities, stadium authorities, and national agencies. However, current measures seem insufficient to address events like wildfire smoke.
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Other sports leagues have air quality protocols
Unlike FIFA, a number of other leagues implement standardized adjustments triggered by air quality warnings. The National Women's Soccer League, for example, added hydration breaks for a game on Thursday in New York. NWSL policy adds hydration breaks at an air quality index of 101 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) and cancels or postpones games when the AQI tops 200 (very unhealthy). Major League Baseball rescheduled a game in Philadelphia, and Major League Soccer canceled a game in Chicago due to smoke. These examples show that benchmarks exist, but FIFA has not adopted them.
Lack of comprehensive climate plan raises concerns
Nicholas Watanabe, a professor of sport and entertainment at the University of South Carolina, noted that despite FIFA potentially being lucky so far, being unprepared is not excusable. Even if the final proceeds without incident, this episode should serve as a wake-up call. Some athletes have already criticized heat management, such as Trinity Rodman who said that if hydration breaks are needed every 15 minutes, then the game should not be played. Professional cyclist Tadej Pogačar even questioned whether the Tour de France should be held in summer given wildfires and heat. The power to make changes generally rests with sports governing bodies, not athletes, and Watanabe believes climate issues should be taken more seriously. Hopefully, this is a wake-up call for FIFA and all sport leagues, he concluded, citing the need for regulations and a comprehensive plan to address climate risks. For more details, see the original article on Wired.
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Source: https://www.wired.com/story/fifa-doesnt-have-plan-to-deal-with-climate-change
