Mexico City chases world record for largest wave ahead of World Cup

Thousands of people have flooded one of the world's great urban boulevards on Saturday, attempting to set a world record for the Mexican wave, naturally, in the country that gave the beloved stadium ritual its name.

The event commemorates the 40th anniversary of the wave's debut 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 now preparing to host the tournament, with kick-off on June 11, for a third time; it will become the first country to host or co-host the men's World Cup three times, following 1970 and 1986.

On Saturday morning, Mexicans and tourists had lined up on the Paseo de la Reforma, the artery that runs through the heart of the capital.

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

Guinness World Records already recognises several categories of Mexican waves.

The largest by participants involved 157,574 people in the United States in August 2008, the longest wave line consisted of 8,453 people in Portugal in 2007, and the longest timed wave was 17 minutes and 14 seconds, recorded in Japan in 2015.

A spokeswoman for the Mexico City government said the objective had been to set a world record for the largest Mexican wave outside a stadium.

"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."

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."

Visitors from abroad were also swept up in the spirit. Tourist Vivia Shivers, who had come to the capital 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.