3 min readUpdated: Jul 17, 2026 04:51 PM IST As the FIFA World Cup 2026 builds toward its grand finale at SoFi Stadium, residents of New York and New Jersey, along with thousands of travelling fans, are grappling with growing health concerns just days before the summit clash. Officials have issued an air quality alert, warning of hazardous conditions across the region. The sudden deterioration in air quality has been traced to smoke drifting from wildfires raging across Canada, which has blanketed the skies over a vast stretch of the United States, from the Midwest to the Northeast. According to a Reuters report, thick smoke from hundreds of fires has prompted authorities to urge residents to stay indoors wherever possible and avoid the polluted air. The SoFi Stadium (New York New Jersey Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is set to host the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, July 19 (12:30 AM IST on July 20). The situation took a turn for the worse just as Spain arrived in New Jersey …