Timelapse shows World Cup final stadium nearly vanish in smoky haze

Mon Sep 14 2026 11:55:53 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A timelapse footage reveals MetLife Stadium disappearing under a dense haze of wildfire smoke, highlighting air quality woes across the New York City area.

The BBC livestream captures MetLife Stadium during the World Cup final as a thick smoky haze gradually covers the venue. More than 800 Canadian wildfires have contributed to poor air quality, prompting ‘very unhealthy’ alerts in western New York and ‘unhealthy’ warnings in New York City where residents wear masks. Iconic city landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty have been obscured too. The smoke, part of a larger wildfire season affecting the U.S., turns the stadium’s grandstands into a fleeting silhouette, underscoring the escalating environmental crisis.

Timelapse shows World Cup final stadium nearly vanish in smoky haze

A stunning video timelapse captures MetLife Stadium during the World Cup final as a thick smoky haze gradually eclipses the venue, turning the once‑crowded arena into a ghostly silhouette.

Wildfires roving across Canada have produced more than 800 raging fires, and the resulting smoke has descended upon the New York City metro area, triggering “very unhealthy” air‑quality alerts in western New York and “unhealthy” warnings in the city itself. Residents and fans have been seen wearing masks to protect themselves from fine particulate matter drifting down from the North Atlantic.

The haze has obscured iconic city landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, and it has also shrouded MetLife Stadium’s grandstand, which the timelapse shows seemingly dissolving into the cloud.

The BBC notes that the smoke is part of a broader series of fires that are also affecting neighbouring U.S. states, making it harder for the public to enjoy world‑cup stadiums as the environment degrades.

For comprehensive coverage of the raging Canadian wildfire season and its trans‑border impacts, readers can follow the BBC’s dedicated coverage wildfires coverage.