Tens of Thousands in Mexico City Attempt Guinness Record for Largest Wave Outside Stadium Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Tens of thousands of fans gathered on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City on June 6, 2026 to attempt a new Guinness World Record for the largest wave, or ola, outside a stadium. m. A small group danced Zumba while bouncing soccer balls, and several women changed into high heels and pulled on hoop skirts under their floral, ribbon-adorned traditional dance dresses.

Larger-than-life puppets called mojigangas, wearing Mexico’s national soccer jersey, swayed above the crowd. The synchronized movement known as the Mexican Wave was popularized at Mexico’s 1986 World Cup. A 2002 study published in the scientific journal Nature found that a typical wave moves at about 40 feet per second and requires about 25 people to set one off.

The phenomenon likely began in the early 1980s at sporting events in the United States. The 2026 World Cup consists of 104 matches played across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Mexico hosted the tournament in 1970 and 1986.

Canada is hosting for the first time. The tournament kicks off with an inaugural match between Mexico and South Africa on June 11, 2026. Esteban Mejilla attended the wave event with his dog Boo wearing a green jersey.

“I will never forget seeing the wave for the first time in ’86,” he said. ” An exhibit called “The City That Never Stopped Playing” displaying ephemera from past World Cups is on display in Mexico City in June 2026. Alejandra de la Mora, the curator, said Mexico had a population of 48 million in 1970 and is closer to 133 million in 2026.

Mexico City inaugurated its first metro line in 1969, and Estadio Azteca opened prior to the 1970 World Cup. “There have always been problems, right? But that’s the magic of soccer, because it seeps through the cracks and touches everything,” de la Mora said.