More than 5,000 football fans across five countries joined a synchronized juggling attempt on Saturday (June 6), setting a new Guinness World Record while drawing attention to the growing impact of extreme weather on the sport.

The initiative, led by nonprofit Count Us In under its “Where Football Lives” campaign, saw participants at over 50 venues in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Brazil and the United Kingdom juggle a soccer ball simultaneously for 10 seconds. Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric confirmed that 511 participants were officially counted in the coordinated effort, surpassing the previous record of 459.

Miami Beach’s Lummus Park served as the main U.S. hub for the event, held alongside the Copa del Sol community soccer festival. Organizers said the attempt aimed to spotlight the risks climate change poses to both professional and grassroots football, especially ahead of what is expected to be one of the hottest World Cups on record.

“We all love the game, but we also need to be safe,” said Jenna Lamb, U.S. director for Count Us In, noting rising temperatures in host cities such as Miami. She added that funds raised would support tools to help local communities adapt to extreme weather.

Participants and athletes echoed concerns that increasingly severe heat, storms and flooding are already disrupting play. Professional player Karina Bermudez said recent matches had been delayed due to storms, while freestyle world champion Laura Biondo said the campaign aimed to protect pitches and communities most at risk.

Organizers said the event underscored the power of sport to unite people globally while calling for urgent action to safeguard its future.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 6, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF ORGANIZERS PLACING CONES FOR SOCCER BALL JUGGLING WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT PARTICIPANTS

2. ADJUDICATOR FOR GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, MICHAEL EMPRIC, ENTERING COURT

3. EMPRIC TALKING TO FREESTYLE SOCCER WORLD CHAMPION, LAURA BIONDO

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DIRECTOR FOR 'COUNT US IN', JENNA LAMB, SAYING:

"This Guinness World Record It's important because we're also raising funds for our adaptation tool kit to help grassroots feel adapted to extreme weather. So, disproportionally affected from the stadiums are the parks and the schools and we just want to help them play for longer. "

5. SOCCER BALLS TO BE USED DURING THE EVENT

6. PARTICIPANTS LIFTING SOCCER BALLS THAT THEY WILL USE DURING THE EVENT

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FREESTYLE SOCCER WORLD CHAMPION, LAURA BIONDO, SAYING:

"This is important because we want to grow awareness about climate change and how this affects the areas where we can play. And there's a fun behind all of this which is going to support those pieces, pitches and places in the world where they need help to protect themselves from extreme weather."

8. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS EVALUATION FOLDER

9. VARIOUS OF EMPIRIC TALKING TO BIONDO

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DIRECTOR FOR 'COUNT US IN', JENNA LAMB, SAYING:

"We all love the game, but we also need to be safe and it's going to be one of the hottest World Cups on record and Miami is already set to be one of the hottest cities, as they don't have air conditioning. And we love the game and it's a vibrant community, but we also need to be safe and protect the game. And I think we've really normalized the hydration breaks, when in fact, it's a reaction to the fact that it's no longer safe to play at normal levels and extreme heat is only getting worse and I think we need to address it now and adapt."

11. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS PRACTICING

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER, KARINA BERMUDEZ, SAYING:

"As a football player, I mean climate change effects our game. Even two nights ago I went to play a game. We had to wait over an hour just to play because there was a huge storm that came by."

13. PARTICIPANTS JUGGLING SOCCER BALLS

14. EMPIRIC OBSERVING GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ADJUDICATOR FOR GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, MICHAEL EMPRIC, SAYING:

"Today, I can announce in Miami, Florida, USA, you had a total around the world of 511 (people simultaneously juggling soccer balls for 10 seconds). It's a new Guinness World Records title! Congratulations! You guys are officially amazing. Great job."

16. VARIOUS OF EVENT ORGANIZERS HOLDING THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFICATE

17. EMPRIC AND PARTICIPANTS POSING FOR A GROUP PHOTO AND SAYING "Miami!"