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Seattle Smashes World Record

The city kicks into the record books with a massive soccer lesson

A large crowd outdoors in a city catches or tosses blue and white soccer balls, with tall buildings and clear skies in the background.
Photos by Jon Cárdenas

Seattle officially holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest soccer lesson.

On Sunday, June 15, 1,038 people gathered at Pier 62 on the Seattle Waterfront for a 30-minute class led by Sounders and Reign FC alumni, including former Sounders player Brad Evans.

Participants practiced footwork and headed the ball under a bright afternoon sun, cheered on by Mariners legend and Sounders part-owner Ken Griffey Jr. Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer was also there with his son.

Guinness World Records officials were on hand to do the counting and when the final number came in, the announcement sparked a big celebration. You can see more photos of the event here.

The San Jose Earthquakes set the previous record in 2023 with 956 participants. Seattle topped that with room to spare.

“Smashed it,” Sounders posted on Instagram. “We’ve set a new Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Soccer Lesson!”

Three people smile and hold a Guinness World Records certificate outdoors, with a city skyline, crowd, and soccer balls visible in the background.

A diverse group of people, including children and adults, practice soccer ball tricks together outdoors near industrial cranes.

The event was organized by Sounders FC, Reign FC, the RAVE Foundation, and the Seattle FIFA World Cup 26 organizing committee. It marked both the one-year countdown to Seattle’s first FIFA World Cup 26 match and the official kickoff of Club World Cup games at Lumen Field.

Later that night, the Sounders fell 2–1 to Botafogo in their first Club World Cup match. More than 150,000 fans are expected to attend games at Lumen Field throughout the tournament.

Here’s what’s coming up:
June 17 – River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds
June 19 – Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid
June 21 – Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds
June 23 – Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain
June 25 – Inter Milan vs. River Plate

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