Introduction to Walking Football
All the Fun of Football Without the Running Around!
Walking football is 6-a-side football without any running, heading – and no contact while tackling.
And it’s a game that has exploded over the last few years. For multiple good reasons.
As the running stops older people from enjoying football, removing this barrier makes the ‘beautiful game’ accessible to all age groups.
Walking football is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of any age. Typical participants will be in the 50+ age bracket. This sport has an important social side, something many people miss from their younger and more active days.
This introductory guide to walking football starts with a look at the history of the game. Next up, the rules and regulations are delved into. My Walking Football guide ends with a look at how you can get involved in playing and the multiple health benefits of the game.
A Quick History of Walking Football
Walking football has been played for the last ten years. It was introduced by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust Programme. Their goal is to improve the health of the elderly in the area.
The sport was ignited by a TV ad for Barclays Bank featuring an ex-Sunday league footballer who was forced to quit football after a car accident. This TV boost saw the number of participants increase dramatically. An incredible number of new walking football clubs formed.
Ten years on from the start, and walking football has become a serious business, with leagues set up across the country. Professional soccer teams now have their own walking football teams. This ‘network effect’ gives you more opportunities than ever to get involved in a local team.
Rules and Regulations of Walking Football
While there is obviously none of the running from the standard game, there are several other rules that set walking football apart – here’s a look:
- Walking football is played as a 6-a-side game, on smaller pitches than usual, and with smaller goals.
- The game is a strictly non-contact one. If a player makes a tackle, it must clearly not involve any physical contact with another player.
- The ball must stay below head height and no heading is allowed.
- Players can walk as fast as they wish, just as long as one foot remains in contact with the ground at all times.
- All fouls will be penalised by an indirect free kick for the opposing team.
- All penalty kicks have a single step run up.
- The offside rule doesn’t exist (shocking to some football fans, but it works!).
- Zero restrictions on passing back to the goalkeeper.
- All free kicks require players from the opposing team to stay three metres away from the ball.
Equipment Needed to Play Walking Football
Kit requirements are not as strict as the standard game. It is recommended that players wear shorts and shirts, due to their breathable nature. The most important equipment you will need is a pair of shin pads and the appropriate footwear. Many people will wear trainers when playing, but it can help if you wear ‘football-specific’ trainers, which offer more stable footing and greater control of the ball.
You can find yourself playing on all different types of surfaces (concrete, carpet, Astro turf and grass), so ensure you have the appropriate footwear for those surfaces. A hat, a cap or gloves might be appropriate, especially when it gets colder around the turn of the year.
If you intend to start your own club, the immediate equipment needed will be balls, two goals, a series of bibs and a whistle.
How to get Involved in Walking Football?
The remarkable thing about this form of footy is that anyone can do it any time. If you have a football, you can literally go anywhere and try it out. Having given it a go, you might want to get involved in something a little more serious.
Head online and you will quickly find national associations that will help point you to your local team or league. In the UK there is the Walking Football Association, where you’ll find all kinds of information about leagues, competitions, resources, and latest news.
The WFA is the perfect starting point. You can find local clubs, resources for starting out and campaign information for the fight against prostate cancer and other good causes there. Check out https://thewfa.co.uk/ for the latest!
The Health Benefits of Walking Football
There are multiple health benefits that can come with a regular game of walking football:
- Decreased blood pressure
- Decreased heart rate
- Lower cholesterol
- Improved blood sugar levels
- Lower chances of suffering from type 2 diabetes
Staying active as you hit your 50’s and beyond is vital to ensuring your ‘healthspan’ lasts into your senior years. Combining walking football with regular walks, and the occasional more vigorous workout involving strength training or high intensity interval training is ideal.
Walking Football: The Next Big Sport?
If you’ve reached an age where physical exercise is a little tougher, but you still have that competitive spirit, walking style football is the perfect sport. Designed for men over 50 and women over 40, this fast-growing sport has grown fast – and continues to draw in new players.
While we are unlikely to be sat in crowded bars watching the ‘Walking World Cup’ on TV any time soon (though there are international teams!) – there is potential for millions of players around the world to get a healthy dose of active, social, fun!
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