On the morning of June 6, thousands of people poured onto one of Mexico City's main boulevards in an effort to set a world record for the Mexican wave - a ritual closely associated with stadium crowds and one that takes its widely known name from Mexico.
The gathering on Paseo de la Reforma brought together both locals and tourists wearing the green jersey of the national team, waving flags and chanting "Mexico, Mexico!" as they lifted their arms in sequence to create the rolling motion associated with the wave. The event coincided with the 40th anniversary of the wave's appearance during the 1986 World Cup, an origin the event commemorated even as the true provenance of the practice remains disputed, with American crowds also claiming early versions.
Mexico is preparing to host the men's World Cup, with the tournament set to kick off on June 11. This staging will mark the third time Mexico has hosted or co-hosted the tournament, following its roles in 1970 and 1986.
Organisers said the aim of the rally on Paseo de la Reforma was to establish a Guinness World Record for the largest Mexican wave performed outside a stadium. A spokeswoman for the Mexico City government described the intention and emphasised the verification process, noting that the evidence collected had been taken by Guinness for review.
"It’s not about breaking a record, it’s about setting one - this is something unprecedented," she said. "That’s why Guinness took the evidence away to assess all the elements. There are many things they analyse."
Guinness World Records already lists several categories related to Mexican waves. The largest number of participants on record involved 157,574 people in the United States in August 2008. The record for the longest wave line was set with 8,453 people in Portugal in 2007. The longest timed wave on record lasted 17 minutes and 14 seconds in Japan in 2015.
Participants at the Mexico City event described a mix of motivations: a desire to back the national team and to take part in what organisers hoped would be a world record. Teresa Lopez, who had travelled to join the attempt, said she came both for the record attempt and to support the team.
"We came to participate in the biggest wave in the world and to support our national team," she said. "We are Mexican and we are very proud of our country."
Visitors from abroad were also among the crowd. Tourist Vivia Shivers, who had arrived in the capital ahead of the tournament, said joining the wave felt meaningful to her.
"It’s a special location, it’s a contribution to a World Cup, and participating feels wonderful," she said.
Guinness' decision on whether the attempt qualifies as a world record was pending after officials took the event's evidence for assessment, and organisers acknowledged there are multiple criteria the record authority examines before confirmation.
Summary: Thousands gathered on Paseo de la Reforma on June 6 to attempt a Guinness World Record for the largest Mexican wave outside a stadium, marking 40 years since the wave's 1986 World Cup debut. The effort comes as Mexico prepares to host the men's World Cup beginning June 11, its third time hosting or co-hosting the tournament. The Guinness organisation removed evidence for review, and confirmation of a record remains pending.