Thousands of footy fans flock to Mexico City for largest soccer lesson ahead of World Cup
Mexico City’s iconic Zócalo square was filled with the sounds of laughter and bouncing soccer balls on 15 March, as the country hosted the largest football (soccer) lesson in history to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.
With an incredible total of 8,873 participants, each repping T-shirts decorated with the colours of the Mexican flag, the capital city’s ceremonial heart was transformed into a giant soccer pitch – as players dribbled, passed, and juggled on an artificial turf.
Instructed by volunteer coaches, and inspired by the legendary professional Mexican players watching onstage, the day united people from all walks of life via their passion for soccer and their culture – and set a Guinness World Records title in the process.
“The class was pretty simple, and a lot of people here don't even know how to play football,” said 67-year-old Pedro Garcia to Reuters, “But that wasn't the point – it's about the people, the community.”
This class is one of a number of recent records set by the government of Mexico, with the support of their tourism board SECTUR and the city itself.
Ahead of the nation hosting the 2026 World Cup with the USA, they have launched an initiative called the “Social World Cup”, which aims to rally soccer-lovers into supporting the arts, culture, and people of their country.
Besides the soccer lesson, their most recent record was for the largest human image of a shirt – when 4,757 participants formed the shape of the Mexican national soccer jersey, and were even congratulated by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for their efforts.
“It's not just about saying ‘I'm amazing’, it's also about proving it and letting everyone know,” said the organizers for the lesson. “Thank you so much, Guinness World Records, for making this possible.”
Read more stories about record-breaking athletes in our dedicated Sports and Fitness section!
In the weeks leading up the class, Mexico City held several trial sessions in different boroughs, encouraging the wider community to take part in the event. Ultimately, over 10,000 participants showed up on 15 March – yet those who were late were disqualified, and organizers were only able to register those who complied with the guidelines.
Still, they had more than enough people to overtake the previous record of 1,038 people, set by the Seattle Soccer Community (USA) on 15 June 2025.
And overall, the energy was remarkably positive that day, as people of all ages played soccer under the clear blue sky. A percussion band set the scene with lively music, while the celebration continued outside the square as locals played informal games on the city streets.
In addition to the thousands of participants, Mexican soccer legends were also present – such as members from Mexico’s 1971 Women’s World Cup winning team, as well as men’s players like Oscar “El Conejo” Pérez, Braulio Luna, and Francisco “Kikin” Fonseca.
“The atmosphere of the place and the energy of the crowd were amazing,” said Guinness World Records Adjudicator Alfredo Arista, who oversaw the event.
“Seeing the Zócalo square covered in grass, and then seeing people dressed in green, white, and red, mirroring the colours of the flag, was simply beautiful.”
After everyone completed the 40-minute session, Alfredo took to the stage to announce that they had officially taken the record – and the entire square erupted into cheers and excited celebrations.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada even addressed the crowd, according to Reuters, and said: “With this record, the city sends a message to the world: ‘Sport, soccer, is the universal language, a language of peace that needs no translation.’
“Congratulations, Mexico City, today we kick off the World Cup!”
And we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Mexico City – you are Officially Amazing!