The smoky haze hanging over New York and northern New Jersey has become an unwelcome backdrop for the biggest soccer match in the world.

For the last several days, the massive wildfires in Canada have been sending plumes of smoke across much of the eastern United States, putting the air quality for Sunday’s World Cup Final center stage before nearly 80,000 fans are expected to gather at MetLife Stadium.

On Thursday, Spanish and Argentine supporters exited the three major New York/New Jersey airports enveloped in a thick smoky haze that smelled like they were inside a campfire. The air quality was so bad that health officials recommended nobody go outdoors for extended periods throughout the weekend, and to wear an N95 mask if they do go outside.

The increasing concern and health risks have created an anxiety that has hung over the World Cup Final like a dark impenetrable cloud. Unlike several other enclosed stadiums across the country where the Final could have been held, MetLife Stadium is an open-air complex that will see close to 100,000 people spend more than five hours outdoors.

The good news is that, at least for now, there is cautious optimism.

Weather forecasters expect heavy rain and thunderstorms Saturday to scrub much of the smoke from the atmosphere, improving air quality considerably before Sunday’s Final. Current projections call for air quality conditions to go from “poor” to “moderate,” though meteorologists continue to stress that Sunday’s forecast remains fluid. Another huge plume of smoke could arrive from Canada right behind the weekend storm, and whether it settles near the stadium remains the biggest unanswered question.

Meanwhile, Spain opted to train outdoors Thursday in New Jersey even with air quality reaching unhealthy levels, causing respiratory experts to raise concern, especially because Spain arrived earlier than Argentina, accumulating more exposure to the smoky conditions. Argentina chose to remain and train in Atlanta.

“For a game that is as important as a World Cup Final, you have to be able to shut out external factors as much as possible,” Spain’s Mikel Merino, who admitted he could see and smell the smoke, said Friday morning. “Luckily, we are being careful with every detail thanks to the federation and the organizers of the World Cup.”

Spain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, did not seem as concerned.

“I am more nervous about going back [to the team hotel] by helicopter,” he said on Friday at Fanatics FanFest in New York City when asked if he’s concerned about the air pollution for the Final. “When it comes to everything else, I’m calm. I’m lucky enough to be in this situation and we just want to enjoy this amazing moment.”

Regardless of the advice of FIFA and the Spanish Federation, doctors caution that even if air quality improves by Sunday, several consecutive days of smoke exposure does not simply disappear overnight.

Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and bloodstream, increasing inflammation while making intense exercise more taxing. For elite athletes already pushing their bodies to the limit, even moderate air pollution can reduce endurance and oxygen efficiency.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to be about exposure,” Dr. Joshua DeVincenzo, the assistant director of education and training at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, told The Post. “Even outside the training environment, it’s the fact that we’re all breathing in unhealthy air, and for consecutive days of that level of AQI [Air Quality Index], and then having it suddenly drop the magnitudes that it is, it does post potential risk.”

Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1. If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.

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The two teams’ playing styles could also have an important role. Spain’s relentless possession means they cover more ground and press more aggressively and have done so throughout the tournament, while Argentina relies on a more economical approach, conserving energy before exploding behind Lionel Messi for moments of brilliance. Whether the air quality ultimately favors one style over another makes the match more intriguing.

For now, and for the sake of competition and everyone in attendance, the hope is that Saturday’s rain delivers exactly what everyone wants and needs: cleaner air and skies for the biggest stage in all of sports.

Because a World Cup Final deserves to leave everyone breathless because of the performance on the pitch, not from the air they breathe.

— Collin Ward contributed to this story