As part of Airbnb's $1 million FIFA Host City Impact Program, the vacation rental company, alongside the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee, will attempt to set an official Guinness World Records title for the longest continuous line of soccer balls.
Did you know?
PNC Bank holds a similar world record for the largest soccer ball sentence after 1,461 total soccer balls were placed in a continuous line in Los Angeles last September.
The balls, which spelled "Rise up L.A.," were created as a message of encouragement after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, according to the Guinness World Records website. The balls were put into place by local families and then donated to youth sports programs.
What to expect
Houston officials will attempt to set a world record by bringing in hundreds of youth soccer players and former Houston Dynamo player DaMarcus Beasley to place 1,000 continuous balls in a line at Hermann Park along the city's Green Corridor on April 11.
Upon successful verification by a Guinness World Records judge, the soccer balls will then be gifted to the Grow the Game Initiative, a program that expands access to soccer for underserved youth.
"This moment is about more than soccer and world records," said Laura Spanjian, global head of public policy at Airbnb. "It’s about celebrating the one-of-a-kind community here in Houston. As local youth help set a new world record in their city, we are reminded of that lasting impact."
Guests interested in participating in the event can register here. Check-in for the event will be at 9 a.m., with activities, snacks and music available before the program begins at 10 a.m.
One more thing
The April 11 event, according to a March 24 news release, builds on an announcement in late December where Airbnb unveiled a more than $1 million investment to support the Green Corridor, a 14-mile sustainable route connecting FIFA World Cup venues.
The project is intended to enhance walkability, provide heat relief with shaded paths and water refill stations, highlight local biodiversity, and expand tree canopy coverage, per prior coverage.
