Wildfire smoke threatens the World Cup final. FIFA still doesn’t have a plan.

The World Cup final brings together Argentina and Spain this Sunday in an open-air stadium just outside New York City—but a threat neither team is equipped to defend against looms: wildfire smoke from Canada. Grist reports that smoke has blanketed the East Coast in recent days, with New York's air quality spiking to hazardous and very unhealthy levels this week, though forecasts suggest it may improve by Sunday's kickoff. That open-air venue means players and spectators could face direct smoke exposure, causing coughing, burning throat, and headaches—particularly dangerous for children, elderly people, and those with respiratory conditions. Strikingly, FIFA has no air quality contingency plans in place, unlike Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and the National Women's Soccer League, all of which have implemented protocols that prompted game cancellations or rescheduling this week. According to sports management professor Nicholas Watanabe, while FIFA may dodge this particular bullet, the near-miss should serve as a wake-up call for sports governing bodies to develop comprehensive climate plans.

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