Largest game of human foosball aims to set world record in Toronto this month

Around 250 people in Toronto will join forces later this month in an attempt to set a Guinness World Records mark for the largest game of human foosball.

Picture a human-sized foosball table, but instead of plastic players, it's real people gripping the bars, shuffling side to side, and taking their best shots on goal.

Sounds wild, doesn't it?

The event, presented by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), serves as an early build-up to the excitement leading up to the FIFA World Cup 2026, which kicks off June 12. Toronto is expected to see an influx of visitors wanting to explore everything the city has to offer beyond the FIFA Fan Festival and match schedule.

"This summer, we'll be welcoming fans from around the world to experience the very best of soccer here in Ontario," said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, in a press release. "The Guiness World Records attempt is the perfect way to kick off the excitement and show the world just how passionate Ontarians are about the beautiful game." 

So how does human foosball actually work?

Pretty much exactly how you're imagining it: Players hold onto the bars, pass to their teammates, and try to score, all while moving in sync, just like the tabletop version. And yes, they mean business. A custom 150-by-68-foot arena has been built just for the occasion.

A Guinness World Records adjudicator will be on-site to verify the attempt and make it official. The public is invited to come watch what could become the largest human foosball game in the world. 

No attempts have been made before, according to the Guinness World Records website. The only records for the sport are for the longest marathon playing foosball, the longest line of foosball tables and the most people playing foosball simultaneously.

The event takes place on May 23 at 10 a.m at Humber Polytechnic Lakeshore Campus West (which is also hosting Doors Open Toronto that day) at 19 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr.