Surprise: Lewandowski, the highlight of the day, cannot make his MLS debut

The long-awaited debut of the Polish striker Robert Lewandowski with the Chicago Fire was postponed due to the suspension this Thursday of the match that was going to face them against the Vancouver Whitecaps by the smoke from the fires in Canada. Chicago and Vancouver were going to meet this Thursday in Chicago, but poor air quality forced it to be postponed until October 6. Nearly 40,000 fans were expected at Soldier Field for the game.

In addition to Lewandowski’s debut with his new club, the match was also going to mark his reunion with German Thomas Müller, now at Vancouver, with whom he shared a dressing room for eight seasons at Bayern Munich.

The duel between the Chicago Fire and the Vancouver Whitecaps was the highlight of the MLS day, which resumes this Thursday after a six-week break for the FIFA World Cup.

“With a top-level duel against Vancouver, Lewandowski’s long-awaited debut and the Two Friends concert after the game, tonight was bound to be a very special evening at Soldier Field,” manager Dave Baldwin said in a statement. “While we know this decision is disappointing, health and safety must be the priority,” he added.

Poor air quality is also raising concerns ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final in New York, one of the cities most affected by smoke from more than a hundred wildfires in Canada.