By Victoria Moreno
Madrid, Feb 7 (EFE).- Walking football, a form of soccer played on foot and designed for older people, is growing rapidly in Spain, where there are already dozens of federated teams, including Laliga clubs such as Athletic Bilbao, Betis, and Getafe.
Walking football was born in England in 2011 as a variant of classic soccer for people over 50 years, regardless of their physical condition, in which contact is avoided to reduce the risk of injury.
This sport meets the needs of those who still dream of being able to play soccer despite their age.
Its growing popularity has already led to regional competitions, such as in Madrid, where the first walking football league kicked off in December 2025 with seven clubs signing up.
“I’ve played soccer for a long time and I’ve been a coach. There are people who have also played soccer, but many of them gave it up 20 years ago,” Francisco José Morales, 67, a player for Walking Football Leganés, told EFE after playing a friendly match at home in Madrid against Club Fútbol Walking Badalona.
“When you’re 50, nobody wants you anywhere. And I want to compete and compete with people my age (…). When I was little, I loved playing soccer. And now I love it just as much, if not more,” said Enrique Esbrifont, 73, founder of the Club Fútbol Walking Badalona in Catalonia.
In Barcelona, several teams have come together to compete in an unofficial league, where there are no scores, but a great desire to enjoy the sport.
“Playing takes away our aches and pains,” Esbrifont added.
Although the rules are still being established and each federation adopts them with slight modifications, these are the main ones:
-The first rule that distinguishes walking football from traditional football is that players cannot run, so they must always have one foot on the ground.
-The playing field is similar to that of Seven-a-side football, teams can be mixed and have between five and seven players, and each match is played in two halves of 20 or 25 minutes.
-During the game, the ball cannot be hit above shoulder height or with the head; if this happens, it is penalized with a foul.
-Players cannot enter the penalty area, nor can the goalkeeper leave it, and there is a maximum of three or four touches allowed per player to encourage team play and reduce physical intensity.
-Most fouls are cumulative, with the standard penalty being an indirect free kick for the opposing team.
-Another special feature is the blue card, which is equivalent to two yellow cards and requires the player to leave the field for three minutes with the first and permanently if they get a second card.
“Obviously, there are newer teams and more experienced ones, and you can see the difference, but I think the rules are being well understood (…). The referee is being highly respected, which is much appreciated in these times,” explained Luis Miguel Díaz, 34, a federated walking football referee.
Currently, leagues are usually organized at the regional level and friendly matches between clubs are arranged through WhatsApp groups, although attempts to professionalize the sport continue and teams seek logistical and financial support from local councils and businesses to access a playing field and cover the costs of sports equipment and travel.
“We had to do a lot of paperwork because the Madrid league is federated (…). And registering was time-consuming; we had to undergo medical examinations, etc., but in the end we succeeded,” said Ángel Sierra (66), delegate of Walking Football Leganés, who recalls that although the team currently only has male players, they would be delighted to welcome female teammates.
Internationally, the European Walking Football Tournament brings together dozens of teams from different countries, including historic clubs such as Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke 04, and Benfica.
The players agree that, in every walking football match, the so-called “third half” is just as important as the minutes on the field.
“We come to have fun, we don’t come to win or play in the European Cup (…). We get up on Wednesdays, come to play, and then have a beer with our teammates and make friends,” said Esbrifont. EFE
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