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![\"Switzerland's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/d0aacd8e0a10d290ae00933bb590b9f6_Switzerland_Argentina_WCup_Soccer_52221.jpg.webp\")
<\/p>\nSwitzerland’s Aurele Amenda arrives for the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Argentina and Switzerland in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo\/Ed Zurga)<\/p>\n
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) \u2014 The start time for the MLB game between the New York Mets and the Phillies on Thursday in Philadelphia was moved up an hour due to air quality concerns because of wildfire smoke from Canada and northern Minnesota, and an MLS game in Chicago was postponed.<\/p>\n
Heavy, pungent wildfire smoke darkened skies in the U.S. from the Great Lakes to parts of the East Coast, reducing visibility and prompting warnings that breathing the air outside could be dangerous.<\/p>\n
Officials in many cities urged residents to stay inside or wear masks outside as air quality reached unhealthy to hazardous levels, meaning it\u2019s unhealthy for anyone, regardless of health conditions. The National Weather Service said a lingering high pressure system has trapped the smoke close to the ground.<\/p>\n
The Philadelphia region is experiencing smoky and hazy skies. The game’s start was moved to 6:10 p.m. EDT from 7:10 p.m. It is the only game on the big league schedule coming out of this week’s All-Star break.<\/p>\n
This is the second time wildfire smoke has affected a game in Philadelphia. In June 2023, a game between Detroit and Philadelphia was postponed due to poor air quality related to smoke from Canadian wildfires.<\/p>\n
Poor air quality due to wildfire smoke also forced the Major League Soccer game between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Fire at Chicago’s Soldier Field, along with a scheduled postgame concert, to be postponed. The game, which was expected to draw 40,000, will be made up on Oct. 6.<\/p>\n
Trinity Rodman, a member of the U.S. women’s national team, said the smokey sky was difficult to deal with during Wednesday night’s NWSL game between the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC at New York’s Citi Field.<\/p>\n
Rodman said she wasn’t a fan of the hydration breaks every 15 minutes in the game as the temperature reached into the 90s.<\/p>\n
\u201cAir quality was rough,\u201d Rodman was quoted as saying by The Athletic. \u201cNot to make excuses at all, but I think on both sides we were all like, \u2018another break, another break, another break.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
A crowd of more than 42,000 attended the rematch of teams in last season’s NWSL title game. The crowd was a record for a women\u2019s sporting event in New York City.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we have to have a hydration break every 15 minutes, then we shouldn\u2019t be playing the game, and that\u2019s my opinion,\u201d Rodman said. \u201cBut at the end of the day, there\u2019s 40,000 people. It\u2019s a whole event, so it\u2019s really tough. It\u2019s just a really hard situation for everyone to work around.\u201d<\/p>\n
AP sports: https:\/\/apnews.com\/sports<\/p>\n
People wear masks as they walk on the street during poor air quality due to dense smoke from Canadian wildfires in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, July 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nam Y. Huh)<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n
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