​The 2025 NWSL Championship rematch at Citi Field between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit on Wednesday night is on track to break the record for the highest attendance at a women’s professional sporting event in New York City, with more than 40,000 tickets sold.It also marks Gotham’s first match in the borough of Queens, after recently announcing a planned 2028 move to the under-construction Etihad Park, just across the street from the team’s current base in Harrison, New Jersey.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs exciting as this match at the home of baseball’s New York Mets is likely to be, the players will be met with unfavorable weather conditions.Temperatures are expected to near 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C) in New York City today. There are also alerts in the region over poor air quality, as smoke from Canadian wildfires spreads across the northeast of the U.S., in addition to the ongoing heatwave. The area is under an extreme heat warning until around kickoff, which is set for 8 p.m ET, with the game to be broadcast on ESPN.When reached ahead of the match, an NWSL spokesperson confirmed the league has been monitoring weather conditions closely. The NWSL took Wet Bulb Globe Temperature readings on Tuesday at times and under conditions similar to those expected on Wednesday. The field was fully shaded by the projected warm-up time, with readings ranging from 79.0 to 76.0, well below the league’s threshold for delaying matches.The league said it will follow normal game day procedures for responding to heat.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAround 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani cautioned New Yorkers through social media that the air quality reached “unhealthy levels” in parts of the city, adding that people should “avoid unnecessary outdoor activities.” Free masks were available for locals, with cooling centers also open across the city.A clause in the league’s procedures states that the delay, postponement or cancellation of a game in the case of emergencies includes “unfavorable weather and/or other adverse conditions beyond the control of the participating teams” that render the game dangerous or impractical for players, participants and fans.An air quality index (AQI) of 100-150 triggers a hydration break per half, while a reading of 150-180 triggers two breaks per half, according to the league. An AQI of 180-200 is when the league considers a delay. Anything over 200 would trigger a cancelation. The current AQI in New York City is 161, which is considered unhealthy by the government’s measures.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe league will take another reading about an hour before warmups to determine if any further steps are needed, according to a league spokesperson.The NWSL recently updated its policies to provide more clarity and simplicity. Here is what you need to know about how the league handles extreme heat conditions.The NWSL updated its gameday heat safety policy in