WALKING Football was first played and rules officiated in 2011, and since has seen growth across the entire world.
The FA not only endorses Walking Football, but hosted and won the 2023 World Cup in both over 50s and over 60s categories.
This nation-wide backing extends down to the lower reaches of the game too, with grassroots events benefitting from the growth.
Angelo Ruiz runs Frome’s Walking Football, and says that the he has noticed the growth from the sport as a whole.
He said: “This came in to get older players to just get moving,
“Now more ex-players are starting to play now and its starting to grow now all over Europe, we have officially sanctioned World Cups now.”
There are huge benefits both physically and socially to playing Walking Football, and goalkeeper Richard Oleszynski praises the camaraderie.
He said: ” There is a misconception that it is for really old people, there is a 76 year old that plays, but runs all of us into the ground,
“It is a really good bunch of lads, and everybody loves it so much.”
