Seattle’s enthusiasm for football helped break a Guinness World Record during the opening weekend of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. On Sunday 15 June, a few hours before Seattle Sounders FC took to the pitch against Copa Libertadores holders Botafogo, a crowd of 1,038 fans participated in a 30-minute soccer lesson on the city’s spectacular waterfront, just a mile north of Lumen Field. A Guinness representative was on hand to confirm the achievement, which shattered the previous mark of 956 set in San Jose, California, in 2023. The event featured appearances by former Sounders players, musicians and club co-owner and TV personality Drew Carey.

“This record-breaking event is more than a celebration; it’s a statement. A statement that Seattle is a true soccer city and a proud Host City for the FIFA World Cup 26,” Seattle FWC26 CEO Peter Tomozawa said. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with our incredible partners to bring our community together in this unforgettable way.”

The day also represented a noteworthy milestone in Seattle’s rich soccer history. It not only marked the Sounders’ entry into the inaugural expanded Club World Cup – a spot they earned by winning the 2022 Concacaf Champions League – it kicked off the one-year countdown to the first of six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches at Lumen Field. During the flag raising atop the towering Space Needle that began the Emerald City’s Club World Cup celebration on 13 June, former Sounders player and current team ambassador Steve Zakuani spoke about the region’s passion for the game.

“We get a chance to showcase that in front of the world, not only with the Club World Cup, but obviously with the (2026 FIFA) World Cup coming as well,” Zakuani said. “We were chosen as one of the host cities for a reason, and I think it’s a good chance for us to show why we believe we’re the soccer capital of the USA.”

Later on 15 June, more than 30,000 fans saw the Sounders stage a second-half fightback before falling to Botafogo, 2-1. The gripping Group B contest was one of six Club World Cup games scheduled in Seattle, including the Sounders’ upcoming showdowns with Spanish power Atlético de Madrid (19 June) and European champions Paris Saint-Germain (23 June). Club World Cup tickets and hospitality packages remain on sale via FIFA.com/tickets.

The Sounders, in partnership with sister club Seattle Reign of the NWSL and the RAVE Foundation, will continue their embrace of the Club World Cup on 19 and 23 June with viewing parties and concerts in Brick Park and free fan fests in Occidental Park, located just a few blocks north of the stadium. The historic FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is the first edition of the enlarged and inclusive championship tournament, bringing together 32 elite qualifiers from all six continental confederations for a month of world-class football. The 63-match competition will conclude on Sunday 13 July with the final at New York New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Every fixture will be live-streamed for free on DAZN.com.