Target USA Cup games suspended Thursday in Minnesota amid air quality concerns

The Target USA Cup, the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere, is suspended Thursday in the Twin Cities due to hazardous air quality from northern wildfires.

The tournament, held at the National Sports Center in Blaine, brings over 1,000 teams and 16,000 players from around the world.

"Yesterday, refereeing was very tough to breathe this air," said a ref from Spain. "It was like very, very tough."  

For a few hours Thursday afternoon, IQAir ranked Minneapolis as having the worst air quality among major global cities, with Detroit and Chicago close behind.

At 9:30 a.m. Thursday, a notice went out from tournament organizers saying all games are suspended to preserve the tournament's competitive integrity and the safety for all involved.  

"All remaining preliminary games that were originally scheduled for Wednesday evening ... and all games scheduled Thursday, will be recorded as 0-0 ties," organizers said.

Anthony Kalotia traveled to the tournament from New Jersey.

"It just sucks because we came, like, a two-hour flight almost and now the games are canceled," Kalotia said.

Vendor Adrich Harried put it simply: "It is what it is."

"Weather always happens every year, not like this where they cancel the day. Always rain, winds, things like that," Harried said.

Buses at the sports center are taking people to Mall of America to cool off and stay safe in style.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's air quality alert runs through Friday at 11 a.m. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises anyone who needs to be outside for extended periods to wear an N95 mask for protection.