Argentina vs Spain: Will storms or wildfire smoke affect FIFA World Cup final?

The weather has emerged as an unexpected talking point ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, with concerns over Canadian wildfire smoke and severe thunderstorms raising questions about conditions for Argentina's showdown against Spain in New York. While heavy rain and lightning disrupted preparations on Saturday, the latest forecasts suggest the weather could ultimately work in FIFA's favour.Smoke from the Canadian wildfires has blanketed much of the northeastern United States in recent days, prompting air quality warnings across several states. Speaking to the Associated Press, senior AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys said the storm system moving through the region is expected to push the thickest smoke away before Sunday's final."There could be some lingering smoke that would make things hazy, but very faint," Roys said."In terms of the thickest smoke, the smoke that has really been eye-popping and leads to poor air quality, that is not expected across New York City or much of the Northeast." Jeff Berardelli, chief meteorologist and climate specialist at WFLA-TV, echoed that assessment, saying the storms would effectively clear the atmosphere before kick-off."It won't be dangerous anymore," Berardelli said. "It's going to be dramatically better." The improving forecast will come as a relief for FIFA after Saturday's storms briefly disrupted preparations. Spain's training session was suspended because of lightning in the area, while heavy rain lashed the New York/New Jersey Stadium. Authorities also asked people inside the venue to take shelter as thunderstorms rolled through East Rutherford. FIFA later confirmed it remained in close contact with local authorities while monitoring both the weather and air quality ahead of the final.STORMS COULD BRING GOOD NEWSIronically, the same storm system that caused disruption on Saturday is expected to improve conditions for football's biggest match.According to meteorologists, the thunderstorms will sweep much of the wildfire smoke away from the region, leaving only light haze by kick-off. Air quality in East Rutherford is forecast to improve from "unhealthy for sensitive groups" on Saturday to "moderate" on Sunday, posing little to no health risk for the general public.Temperatures are expected to hover around 27°C (80°F) with light winds and relatively low humidity, conditions that are considered close to ideal for football."You couldn't have asked for much better weather for the World Cup," Berardelli added.FIFA REMAINS ON ALERTDespite the encouraging forecast, FIFA continues to monitor conditions ahead of the final between Argentina and Spain.Saturday's weather prompted warnings from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, who cautioned residents about the possibility of damaging winds, flash flooding, tornadoes and large hail as storms swept across the state.Wildfires continue to burn across Canada and parts of northern Minnesota, with hundreds of active fires still reported. However, forecasters expect the heaviest smoke to remain over parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes region, well away from New York by the time the World Cup final kicks off.FIFA World Cup | FIFA World Cup Schedule | FIFA World Cup Points Table | Football News - EndsPublished By: Debodinna ChakrabortyPublished On: Jul 19, 2026 07:00 IST