Guinness World Record broken in Hoover with 2,842 Coca-Cola cans

The City of Hoover made history during its annual “4th on the First” celebration at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex on Wednesday, July 1. Despite a passing thunderstorm, thousands of residents gathered to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and officially secure a Guinness World Records title.

How Hoover broke the Guinness World Record

During the halftime break of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup match, exactly 2,842 participants simultaneously cracked open beverage cans. The synchronized effort surpassed the previous world record of 2,747, which was originally set in Japan.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Tina Shi officially certified the final tally on-site, confirming Hoover’s place in the record books. The historic attempt was organized in partnership with Coca-Cola UNITED and Birmingham Legion FC, who provided limited-edition FIFA World Cup 26 Coca-Cola cans for the crowd.

U.S. Men’s National Team World Cup watch party + hometown hero Chris Richards

In addition to the world record, attendees cheered on Hoover-native Chris Richards, who played all 90 minutes in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 2-0 shutout victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The win advanced the U.S. team to the Round of 16.

The event featured a variety of entertainment and family activities throughout the evening, including:

• A patriotic opening ceremony with 150 volunteers carrying a giant American flag across the stadium floor
• A 10-foot apple pie served with ice cream
• Performances by the Xpogo Stunt Team, Bucket Ruckus + ZOOperstars!
• The annual City Council Hot Dog Eating Contest, won by Councilwoman Ashley Lovell

The historic night concluded with an extended fireworks display inside the stadium to kick off the holiday week.