New Jersey and New York woke up to a bright and sunny Sunday. The breeze and sunshine erased the creased foreheads of many who had feared their final day of the 2026 World Cup could be ruined by rain and waterlogging.
“Thank god it’s clear today,” Caesar said at Walnut Street in Montclair. “The final is here. We cannot have a soggy and gloomy Sunday.”
It poured on Saturday, what they call the “dirty rain.”
Dirty rain, also known as muddy rain or red rain, is a weather phenomenon that occurs when raindrops pull down dust, smoke, ash, or other tiny pollutants suspended in the atmosphere as they fall to the ground.
“The rain has helped to clear out some of the smoke from the sky,” said Emily at Toastique, in Church Street, a premier dining and cafe hub
in Montclair.
The Air Quality Index in New York and New Jersey have been poor for the past few days due to the wildfire in Canada. Thick, smoky haze from the wildfire lingered till Saturday’s rain cleared it to some extent.
The rain and the poor AQI, however, did not deter the Argentine and Spanish fans.
In Manhattan, Times Square has become an unofficial gathering point for thousands of supporters.
As usual, Argentina’s blue-and-white shirts dominated large sections of the plaza, with chants of “Vamos Argentina” echoing through the skyscrapers.
Spanish supporters, draped in red and yellow, have also arrived in large numbers, creating a carnival atmosphere of songs, drums and banter.
The crowd is not just made up of South Americans and Spaniards. Fans from dozens of countries, many whose teams exited weeks ago, gathered simply to witness history in one of the world’s most famous cities.
Across New York City, fan events have blended football with music, art and cuisine, reflecting the cosmopolitan identity of the city itself.
“I know these past few weeks have been rough. Today (Sunday) should thankfully be a little nicer. The storms we saw yesterday (Saturday) have cleared up overnight and we’re hopeful that dry skies will stick around for kick-off,” said New York mayor Zohran Mamdani on The Morning Pitch, a short video programme he hosts to provide New Yorkers with vital updates on match days at MetLife Stadium.
In New York, more than 900 restaurants and bars offered the $26 drink and meal deal programme. At Patria Station Café, which serves Argentine food, in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, exclusive seats were being offered for $80 and regular seats for $20. The exclusive seats were sold out on Saturday itself.
There is a Leo Messi Way too in Berkeley Heights. The tribute honours the Argentine icon, with the signage. The designation was spearheaded by Carolina Zokalski, the owner of Patria Station Cafe.
As Mamdani and his Sunday’s The Morning Pitch guest, former England striker Gary Lineker, said; “Well, enjoy the match.”
New York, New Jersey and the world did enjoy the match.