Hundreds of people flooded one of the world's great urban boulevards on Saturday (June 6), attempting to break a Guinness World Record for the largest Mexican wave — naturally, in the country that gave the beloved stadium ritual its name.

It commemorates the 40th anniversary of the famous Mexican wave that first gained global recognition during the 1986 World Cup held in Mexico, though its true origins are disputed, with American crowds also claiming early versions of it.

Mexico is preparing to host the tournament for a third time; with its past hosting of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, it will become the first country to host or co-host the men's World Cup three times.

On Saturday morning, both Mexicans and tourists lined up for the event on Paseo de la Reforma, the artery that runs through the heart of the capital, from the Angel of Independence to the Glorieta del Caballito monuments.

Hundreds wore the bright green jersey of the Mexican national team, waving flags and chanting "México, México!" as they rose and threw up their arms in sequence, sending a rolling swell of motion through the crowd.

Teresa Lopez, who had traveled to join the event, said she came for both the record and 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."

Even visitors from abroad were swept up in the spirit. Tourist Vivia Shivers, who had come to Mexico City ahead of the tournament, said the occasion felt meaningful. "It's a special location, it's a contribution to a World Cup, and participating feels wonderful," she said.

The Mexico City government invited residents and visitors to be part of the historic occasion as the city looks toward the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.

Whether the record was officially broken had not been confirmed by Guinness World Records at the time of publication.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. VARIOUS OF REHEARSALS OF THE FAN WAVE

2. PARTICIPANTS CHANTING (Spanish) "MEXICO, MEXICO"

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, TERESA LOPEZ, SAYING:

"I am here because we came to take part in the biggest wave in the world, and we came to support our Mexican national team because we love Mexico. We are Mexican, and we are very proud of our country."

4. PARTICIPANTS IN THE WAVE CHANTING "MEXICO, MEXICO" WITH FLAGS

5. VARIOUS OF THE WORLD CUP WAVE

6. PARTICIPANTS

7. PEOPLE WATCHING A SCREEN

8. PEOPLE JUMPING AND CHANTING "MEXICO, MEXICO"

9. VARIOUS OF TOURIST VIVIA SHIVERS WAVING A JAMAICAN FLAG

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST, VIVIA SHIVERS, SAYING:

"We are here today to participate in the wave. It is a special occasion, it is a contribution to the World Cup and we are here to participate."

11. VARIOUS OF DRESSED PARTICIPANT DANCING

12. ANGEL OF INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT

13. PEOPLE WITH MEXICAN JERSEYS DANCING