Robert Lewandowski's MLS debut with Chicago Fire hit a delay on Thursday as wildfire smoke forced postponement of the club's match against Vancouver Whitecaps. The rescheduled fixture will now take place on October 6 instead.
Wildfires ravaging Ontario have blanketed large swathes of the United States with thick smoke. Border states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois faced particularly poor air quality throughout the day.
Chicago Fire consulted with local health experts, MLS officials, the Whitecaps and city authorities before making the call to postpone, the club confirmed in a statement. The decision came as roughly 40,000 fans prepared to attend the match at Soldier Field.
The game was scheduled as part of MLS's return following the World Cup break. Lewandowski had recently joined the Fire from Barcelona, where he helped the club win La Liga last month.
The Polish striker was set to face Thomas Mueller, a former Bayern Munich teammate, in what would have marked his first competitive minutes in the league. Instead, Lewandowski will make his debut next Wednesday against Inter Miami.
Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, won't be available for that match as he prepares for Argentina's World Cup final appearance on Sunday. The Argentine forward will instead feature in that clash against Spain.
Illinois bore the brunt of the smoke spreading from Canada's wildfires. New York state also grappled with hazardous air quality, with authorities warning residents that outdoor conditions had become "unhealthy" due to fine particulate matter drifting from the fires.
A similar haze blanketed the New York City region, where Argentina and Spain are scheduled to play in the World Cup final on Sunday. Air quality concerns could potentially affect preparations for that high-profile encounter as well.
