On Sunday, the Seattle Waterfront witnessed a new Guinness World Record as 1,038 people took part in a 30-minute soccer lesson, setting the record for the largest soccer lesson ever. This surpassed the previous record of 956 participants, which was set in San Jose in 2023.
Families from across Washington joined the event. Carla and Jeff Running brought their children, Ian and Evan, to take part. “They love soccer, and since it’s happening in our city, we wanted to support it and feel the excitement,” Carla said.
Guinness World Records officials confirmed the achievement after counting participants and excluding those who did not complete the full 30 minutes.
Kelly Erdmanczyk, attending with her three children, recalled her own childhood fascination with the Guinness Book of World Records. “It’s really exciting, and I don’t think we’ll get another chance like this,” she said. Kelly and her husband Steven saw the event as a special Father’s Day experience for their kids Ira, Skye, and Willa. “It will be something cool to look back on,” Steven added.
The event took place at Pier 62, located below the new Waterfront Park, where large crowds gathered inside designated areas for the lesson. Michael Empric, the Guinness adjudicator on site, noted the enthusiasm: “There were hundreds of people lined up along the waterfront this morning waiting to join. People are really excited about the World Cup and this record attempt.”
This record-breaking soccer lesson also marked the start of the Club World Cup tournament, which brings teams from around the world to the United States. The Seattle Sounders are among the host teams, with their first match scheduled Sunday against Botafogo from Brazil.
Kelly expressed pride in her city, saying, “It’s beautiful and stunning. I hope people see how amazing Seattle is. I’m proud of where we live and raise our children.”
Both the Erdmanczyk and Running families have tickets for upcoming Sounders matches. Kelly’s family will attend the game against Paris Saint-Germain, while the Runnings plan to watch the Sounders face Atlético de Madrid. Ian Running called it “pretty special” for these teams to play in Seattle.
Beyond hosting high-level matches, the FIFA World Cup aims to grow soccer at the grassroots level. The “26 More by 2026” initiative has already built 26 mini fields across Washington to support youth soccer programs. In 2026, Seattle will host six FIFA World Cup matches, further cementing its role in the global soccer scene.
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