“We are holding Canada accountable.”With these words, the US President, Donald Trump, encouraged politics in preparation for Sunday’s final of the FIFA World Cup, criticizing Canada for the smoke that has covered parts of the North-East of the United States and caused uncertainty about what is happening in the biggest football game.In his tweets, Mr. Trump said that the United States is “unnecessarily being inundated with dirty, polluted, and bad air that is dangerous and unacceptable! He also threatened new trees in Canada because of the smoke going south from the wildfires that are burning across the country.The comments came as organizers, teams and meteorologists continue to monitor air quality ahead of the Argentina-Spain final at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, where around 80,000 fans are expected.Although forecasters predict a “slow” cooling down, experts caution that it is not clear whether more smoke will follow the heavy rains expected on Saturday.
Forecasts of smoke have left the World Cup final under a cloud
Spain midfielder Mikel Merino admitted the smoke could not be ignored, saying players could “see and smell” the fog in northern New Jersey.However, the midfielder insisted that Spain are trying to prevent distractions.“In a game as important as the World Cup final, you have to shut out external factors as much as possible,” Merino said. “Fortunately, we are taking care of everything because of the association and the organizers.”Spain trained outdoors on Thursday despite the dangerous air quality, a decision that drew criticism from health experts who believed the session should have been moved indoors.Scientists say uncertainty lies in what happens after Saturday’s rain.Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, warned that some smoke could follow the climate if wildfires continue to grow.“The question is whether the smoke behind the system reaches land in northern New Jersey on Sunday and, if so, how persistent it is,” Weather Channel meteorologist Jonathan Belles added, noting that current forecasts range from very light smoke to areas that could have a significant impact on players and spectators.Medical experts have warned that even “moderate” air pollution can affect elite athletes because exercise increases the amount of polluted air inhaled.
FIFA has confirmed despite the season’s concerns
Despite the ongoing uncertainty, organizers are still hopeful that the final will go ahead without disruption.Trump met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in New York on Friday, with both leaders hailing the expanded 48-team tournament as a major achievement.Standing on the sidelines of the World Cup, Infantino praised the event.“The American dream, of the President, has come true. We united the world,” he said, adding that millions of fans gathered “peacefully, joyfully” across the United States, Canada and Mexico.Trump echoed the same sentiment, calling the race “one of the greatest sports in history” before wishing all the finalists well.“Well done to Spain and Argentina on Sunday, and may the best team win,” the US president said.With attendances, sold-out stadiums and a global television audience making the tournament the most successful in FIFA, organizers are now hoping that the only drama left on Sunday will come on the pitch – and not from the warm skies above New Jersey.
