Over recent days, heavy smoke blanketing New York and large parts of the eastern coast has prompted amused reactions in Dallas and Los Angeles. Residents there will observe with a touch of schadenfreude as the World Cup final unfolds at the New York New Jersey Stadium—commonly called MetLife Stadium in New Jersey—this Sunday.
The venues in Dallas and Los Angeles, overlooked when Fifa decided the final location in February 2024, are more striking arenas free from New York’s weather challenges. New York was selected instead for its worldwide allure and a time zone that suits European TV viewers.
Early worries about holding the final at MetLife centered on the intense summer heat common in New York, which Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández labeled “very dangerous” after last year’s Club World Cup semifinal. Now the poor air quality this week has thrown Fifa an unforeseen complication.
Fires burning in Canada’s wilderness have pushed thick smoke southward into many eastern US cities, prompting authorities to escalate the air quality warning from “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” late Thursday.
City emergency officials in New York declared a code red from Tuesday through Thursday, urging people to remain indoors unless essential and to refrain from vigorous physical activity. Such restrictions are far from ideal for the most important fixture in world sport, anticipated to draw 1.6 billion TV viewers globally.
Considering the uproar over Fifa adding hydration pauses to the World Cup, the thought of introducing two additional interruptions would only intensify criticism.
Every one of the seven prior matches at MetLife has been fully ticketed, while snagging a restaurant or bar reservation to view England’s semifinal loss to Argentina this week proved extremely difficult.
Aside from the weather, the main concern for the final appears to be reaching the venue itself, long considered notoriously difficult to access by NFL supporters due to scarce public transit and the challenges of navigating the Lincoln Tunnel between Manhattan and New Jersey.
Adding to the difficulties, parking on Sunday is restricted to guests and VIPs, while bus and train fares have been substantially raised for the tournament. After New York and New Jersey governments stepped in with a subsidy, the initial round-trip price of $150 (£112) for New Jersey Transit trains was lowered to $98, though that is still steep for a 20-minute ride. For those put off by the cost, Manhattan shuttle buses will run for $20.
Donald Trump is expected to arrive in a more conspicuous fashion, with Marine One scheduled to pass over the stadium before touching down at Teterboro airport nearby. Though Fifa won’t admit it openly, handling the president ranks among its lingering worries. Following the stir last year when Trump seemed to intrude on Chelsea’s Club World Cup victory festivities, leaving captain Reece James especially puzzled, Fifa has moved proactively by announcing he will join Infantino in presenting the trophy.
Four years ago, Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani draped a traditional Arab bisht over Lionel Messi’s shoulders before the Argentina skipper received the trophy from Infantino, setting a precedent. With Trump, what he might have in mind is anyone’s guess. Fifa tried to get clarity by meeting the president at Trump Tower on Friday afternoon—a session that forced road closures for blocks in every direction, creating gridlock on Fifth Avenue. Officials will be hoping that scene does not foreshadow Sunday’s events.
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