The World Cup final, on alert for pollution
The smoke from the fires burning in Canada has created a cloud of pollution over New York that has put health authorities on alert
WashingtonIn a matter of hours, masks have become one of the most sought-after items for the World Cup final to be held on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The smoke from the severe fires burning in Ontario (Canada) has covered New York, Washington, and a large part of the coastal cities in the north with a cloud of toxic particles. The high levels of pollution have created scenes reminiscent of cities like New Delhi, with the urban profile blurred by particles floating everywhere. On Friday morning in the federal capital, the air smelled of burning, and in many CVS – a chain of pharmacies – masks were already sold out. All of this has raised concern for the match between Spain and Argentina.US health authorities have issued health alerts due to the high concentration of toxic particles, which can be very harmful to people with heart problems or respiratory conditions. On Thursday in New York, pollution levels exceeded the 200 threshold, mainly due to the high concentration of polluting particles from fires. The city's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, called on citizens to stay outdoors as little as possible and wear KN95 masks, as surgical masks are not sufficient to filter the air. The city council has also established distribution points for these types of masks for all citizens.
Meteorological teams and authorities are monitoring the evolution of the smoke cloud for Sunday. Although postponing the competition has not been considered at any point, if pollution levels remain as high, conditions could complicate the performance of the footballers. MetLife Stadium, where the final is to be played at three in the afternoon (East Coast time), is completely uncovered. On Thursday, the Spanish team already trained outdoors in northern New Jersey despite alerts about the poor air quality.
Atmospheric conditions also threaten all fans who plan to travel to the city over the weekend to follow the match. Different groups have been created on WhatsApp in which Spanish fans are coordinating to follow the match from Manhattan. The high price of tickets and the restrictions to get from New York to the stadium area – only people with tickets for the match can buy train tickets – have caused many followers to stay on the island. A giant screen has been set up in Central Park to follow the match, although most Spaniards plan to go to Hudson Yards, where there is no capacity limit. There will also be other points from which to follow the match, such as Casa de España or José Andrés' famous restaurant, "Little Spain".
The most expensive final on record
But the calls to follow the match are not the only thing being discussed in these groups. The resale of tickets and offers for beds and rooms being rented out are also other major topics of conversation. Offers to buy a last-minute seat at MetLife Stadium range from $8,000–$10,000 in these groups. A similar price to tickets that can be purchased on resale platforms like Subhub. The cheapest seats were around $8,000 this Friday, while the most expensive could reach up to $50,000 for a single person. In fact, the Spain vs. Argentina match is expected to be one of the most expensive in history, according to ticket sales pages for events like TicketData.
In general, the 2026 World Cup has stood out for being one of the most expensive on record, both in terms of transport and accommodation costs. In New York, the cheapest options for a night's stay range from $200-300, and in many cases, they are capsule hotels. A more economical alternative is rooms that people informally rent out through WhatsApp groups. Lucía García has managed to be in Manhattan thanks to this; she and a friend will share a bed they have rented for about $120. She has also bought bus tickets to return to Washington early Monday morning. "And at 9, as soon as we arrive, straight to the office," she comments. The price of a single ticket for the night bus is already around $100. In total, she estimates she will end up spending about $300.
Carlos Gómez is another Spaniard who, on Tuesday, after Spain qualified for the final, decided at the last minute to go to New York. With the national team's jersey over his work shirt, Carlos started looking for bus and train tickets and people renting out their rooms in New York. "If we win the World Cup, I'm taking a week off," he said excitedly on Tuesday on the terrace of one of the many bars on 14th Street in Washington, where Spaniards had gathered to follow Spain-France. In total, the thirty-year-old has spent about $200 on accommodation and transport. "Although it could be more, depending on whether I stay longer to celebrate that we've won the World Cup," he commented.
A large part of the Spaniards who are going to New York this weekend to cheer on Spain already live in the United States. The profile ranges from students, staff of multilateral organizations, and employees of technology companies. Although some have good positions, they consider the ticket prices to be exaggerated. Even Carlos, who is from Madrid and has been a member of Real Madrid since he was a child: "I think it's outrageous that prices have reached this level, it's absurd."