NASA Data Helps CDC Track Air Quality During World Cup 2026

NASA Data Helps CDC Track Air Quality During World Cup 2026
As the United States men’s national team takes the field against Bosnia and Herzegovina Wednesday, NASA’s air quality information is helping public health partners better understand the air that players, fans, and nearby communities may experience during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Throughout the 2026 World Cup, state and local health and air quality organizations are making use of NASA air quality data through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), providing a clearer picture of the air that players and fans are breathing. Partnerships such as this exemplify the way NASA shares information freely and openly to the public, as well as agencies and industries around the nation.
The information draws from CDC’s National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, a nationwide system that combines health and environmental data to help communities identify risks and make informed decisions. For the World Cup effort, CDC is using county-level air quality information, including fine particle pollution and ground-level ozone, based on NASA’s GEOS Composition Forecasting model. The model combines observations and computer simulations to show how air pollution is moving and changing over time.
This work builds on more than 20 years of collaboration between NASA’s Health and Air Quality Program and CDC’s public health tracking network. Through this partnership, NASA Earth observations and air quality forecasts have been incorporated into public health tools used by communities across the country. By helping public health officials see where air quality may pose concerns, NASA data supports planning for major events, day-to-day decision-making, and longer-term efforts to protect community health.