A National Women's Soccer League match between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit at Citi Field on Wednesday night drew a record 42,175 spectators, the largest crowd ever for a women's sporting event in New York City. However, the game went ahead despite poor air quality caused by smoke drifting south from wildfires in Canada, prompting criticism from Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, who said the match should not have been played under those conditions.

The crowd surpassed attendance for New York Mets games at the same venue this year, underlining the growing popularity of women's football in the United States. Rodman's comments raise questions about player welfare and the league's decision-making process when air quality warnings are in effect, though the article does not detail whether any players reported symptoms during the match or what specific pollution levels were recorded.