Spain's preparations for Sunday's World Cup final have been significantly disrupted after their final training session was cancelled due to severe thunderstorms sweeping across the New York City area. Football's governing body, FIFA, confirmed the schedule change on Saturday and stated that no alternative time slot would be available for the Spanish national team to train on the pitches.
The Spanish federation released a statement confirming the suspension of their training session at the Melanie Lane Training Ground in New Jersey, citing US storm safety protocols. Players are reportedly undertaking an indoor warm-up session instead. It remains unclear whether Argentina's scheduled training session, set for 11:30 am local time (1530 GMT), will proceed as planned.
The storms, while disruptive, are also bringing some relief to the region. They are expected to help dissipate the thick wildfire smoke that has blanketed the eastern United States this week. Hundreds of wildfires burning across Canada have caused widespread air quality warnings, leading to hazy skies and a smoky smell across the New York New Jersey region, with local authorities urging residents to limit strenuous outdoor activity.
Spain had previously trained outdoors on Friday amidst these hazardous conditions, despite warnings from experts about the health risks associated with the poor air quality. However, forecaster AccuWeather indicated on Friday that the World Cup final, set to kick off at 3 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) at the New York New Jersey Stadium, is expected to experience minimal impact from the wildfire smoke.
While air quality in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the stadium is located, may still register below "good levels" on Sunday, AccuWeather predicts a significant improvement from the "poor to unhealthy" conditions anticipated for Saturday. Meteorologist Adam Douty noted that conditions would be more comfortable, with less humidity, even if not entirely optimal.