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Argentina-Spain match air quality concerns
US President Donald Trump toughened his tone on Canada hours before the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, accusing Ottawa of worsening air quality caused by wildfires in the northeastern US and threatening to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods.
New York City and its surrounding areas experienced a noticeable drop in air quality for days, after clouds of smoke from wildfires burning in Canada blanketed large parts of the northern United States, including the area hosting the World Cup final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
Trump wrote on the platform:Social heritage“The United States is being unnecessarily exposed to dirty, polluted air and health risks that are absolutely unacceptable,” stressing that he would meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the crisis.
The US president accused Canadian authorities of negligence in forest management, saying they failed to carry out basic conservation and removal of plant debris that helps limit the spread of fires, before he threatened to impose additional tariffs on Canadian goods for “willful negligence”.
On the other hand, Ghana’s Minister of Emergency Management, Eleanor Olszewski, confirmed that the governments of the two countries are in constant contact, emphasizing that there is a long history of cooperation between Canada and the United States in the fight against forest fires.
He added that Canada has invested about $12 billion in forest protection and fire prevention programs since 2020 as part of its efforts to reduce environmental disaster risks.
According to the latest figures from the Canadian Joint Wildfire Centre, there are currently about 950 active fires across the country, most of which are still out of control, particularly in Ontario.
In the US, Detroit topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities, according to an index by website IQAir, while Washington and Chicago were among the worst-hit cities, as authorities advised residents to avoid being outdoors or wear masks if necessary.
The conditions raised concerns about the impact of the weather on the World Cup final, especially as the game will be played in an open stadium, after a yellow haze blanketed New York skies in recent days, obscuring the Manhattan skyline at points.
Despite the relative improvement in air quality, the U.S. Weather Service has warned of the possibility of a return of smoke density until weekend thunderstorms help conditions gradually improve.
