If you’re looking for more than an occasional kick about, joining a walking football club may help to satisfy your craving for regular competition and commitment.
At Walking Football World, we view walking football clubs as organisations that exist to coordinate, deliver and manage walking football sessions, fixtures and teams for a loyal base of players.
A walking football club is not so much an entity in and of itself, but instead the product of its work and value within the community it serves.
Take advantage of our detailed listings to find the right walking football club for you or read on below for our top tips to help with your search.
Club, session or team?
Probably the easiest way to distinguish between a walking football club and a walking football session is to view them from an organisational perspective.
Walking football clubs
Walking football clubs are organisations that run teams, sessions and events for a primary core of signed-up players. Those within a club will generally be looking for a more competitive version of the sport with the opportunity to test themselves against others in tournament settings.
Walking football sessions
Walking football sessions are typically recreational, non-competitive, events that allow new players to simply turn up and join in. Sessions may be organised and delivered by a club, but are more commonly supported by local councils, football associations, sports centres and charities. They are the ideal introduction to the game.
Walking football teams
Walking football teams are simply groups of players within a club or from a session, who join together to compete against others in friendlies, festivals and leagues.
What are the benefits of joining a walking football club?
If there’s one thing we never grow out of, it’s our desire to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Whether you’re standing on the terraces, sat in the dugout or leading the line up front, football has always provided a sense of belonging for those that play it.
And, like most team sports, walking football is no different. In fact, it may even be better. Here’s out top three reasons to join a walking football club.
The sense of camaraderie
The only thing better than being happy, is having somebody to share it with. You only have to view a handful of our session listings to see the friendships and enjoyment shared by walking footballers worldwide.
Every pre-match joke, in-game pass and post-match meal will strengthen the bond you share with your teammates and increase your sense of purpose.
Walking football clubs are united like no other. While many sports proclaim that it’s the taking part that counts, only walking football practises what it preaches.
Meet people from all backgrounds
Throughout much of the youth game, and even into adulthood, football has always created boundaries. From the girls’ team to the boys’ team and the under 17s to the over 18s, the sport has always adopted an “if this, then that” mentality.
Walking football is completely different. Regardless of your age, gender or ability, you’ll find at least one session at one club, suited specifically to your needs.
And if you’re under the impression that you have to have played – or even liked – the traditional game to enjoy walking football, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Walking football is just as much about the people you meet and the friendships you form as it is about the passes you make and the goals you score.
Everyone has their own reasons for joining a walking club; it’s the differences that bring people together.
An excuse to put your fitness first
The hardest part of any challenge is getting started. Deciding to ‘get fit’ is easy, actually doing the work is tough.
The problem with having such as broad goal is that it raises too many broad questions, such as:
- Where do you get fit?
- How do you get fit?
- When will I get fit?
With so many uncertainties, many people lose motivation before they’ve really gotten started, and achieve nothing but heavy sense of guilt.
Joining a walking football club outsources your fitness plan. Simply turn up, play and lose yourself in the game. Let football make the decisions for you:
- Where do you get fit? The walking football club.
- How do you get fit? By playing walking football.
- When will I get fit? Block out the same time every week.
Never before has a walk in the park been so much fun!
Find a club now
How to join a walking football club – From click to kick!
If you’re ready to join a local walking football club, you’re in the right place. All Walking Football World listings have been created in association with event organisers to ensure they are as comprehensive and up-to-date as possible.
It takes just a few seconds to search our site and find the club that suits you best; simply follow the four shorts steps below to begin your walking football journey.
1. Find a club in our database
The first step before your first steps. It’s easy to find your local walking football clubs in our database by using the map and search feature on this page.
Here, you’ll find three options: Keywords, Category and Location. The keywords box is optional and can be used to define specific information about a club that isn’t covered elsewhere.
The category box lets you select the type of listing you’d like to search – simply select ‘Clubs’ – and the location drop-down allows you to select the British county you’d like to browse.
The map will automatically update to show walking football clubs in your selected area, and the list will display the results with links through to more information.
2. View the full club listing
Our walking football club listings are unlike any others you will see online. At the top of the page, below the photos, you’ll find a selection of ‘Specifications’ that define the key features of the club that make it unique.
These typically include the general level of competitiveness, the age range of players, the year the club was founded and a summary of the number of the events it hosts.
Links to these individual event pages can be found lower down the page and it is not unusual for most clubs to hold a variety of sessions and competitions to cater for a broad spectrum of people.
The core of every Walking Football World listing is in the summary text where we work with clubs to give you an accurate description of what you can expect when you join. It’s here that you’ll also find information about signing-on fees, home grounds and sponsors.
3. Visit the club’s website and social profiles
One of the best ways to get a sense of what it’s like to be part of the walking football club you’re viewing, is to click through to view its own website and social media profiles using the links in our listings.
We love the passion of the walking football community and this feeling of energy and optimism shines through every Facebook post, Instagram picture and Twitter poll.
Read comments from future teammates and even join in by leaving comments or questions of your own.
4. Reach out and get in touch
Hopefully by now, you’ll have found the walking football club that’s right for you, all that’s left to do it reach out and get in touch.
Every one of our listings includes an easy-to-use contact form which you can use to message club and event organisers directly.
We have also included the full phone numbers and email addresses of lead club contacts, where available, and are always happy to assist you ourselves – just email [email protected].
If you’d prefer to jump straight into action, many walking football sessions run by clubs operate on a turn up and play basis, with no prior contact needed!
Find a club now
FAQs – Walking Football Clubs
Have another question about walking football clubs? You’re in luck! We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions below to help put to rest any last minute reservations before you play.
If your question relates to a specific club in particular, don’t forget to try speaking to a representative directly via the contact details on their associated listing page. Please also feel free to contact us at Walking Football World for clarification on anything on this website or to suggest new FAQs for us to add. Simply email [email protected].
• How can I find a walking football club near me?
It takes just a few seconds to search for your local club on Walking Football World. Just head over to our map to select your home county and view the results plotted in their actual locations. If you can’t find a club near you, it may not mean there isn’t one, just that we haven’t listed it yet. Run a quick Google search to check – and please let us know if you find something we’ve missed!
• Does joining a club mean I have to play competitively?
No, not at all. While walking football clubs often provide players with the opportunity to test themselves against outside opposition, competition is by no means compulsory. As we said above, walking football clubs are as much about providing a structure for players and games as they are about results and league championships. We have tried to make these distinctions clear in our listings, where possible.
• Will I have to pay a signing-on fee?
Possibly. Every sports club at every level has costs; walking football is no different. From the price of pitch hire to the cost of the balls themselves, everything has to be paid for.
At many clubs, players are asked to pay a small fee – essentially a membership fee – to cover expenses for a set period of time (usually a year). The amount to pay and what you receive in return varies per club.
• Am I too young to join a walking football club?
No! Walking football is one of the UK’s most inclusive sports, welcoming people of all ages, genders and experience to play together as one. Admittedly, the game is perceived to be targeted at those aged 50 and over, but in reality, most clubs and sessions do not enforce strict age limits. The only time when age could really become a factor is in competitive settings such as leagues and tournaments.
• Contact sounds dangerous; should I avoid it?
Your personal level of risk when undertaking any activity or sport is unique to your own individual circumstances. It would be wrong of us to rule out the possible dangers of contact games for players recovering from serious injuries, for example.
However, common sense suggests that if you are generally fit and well, the risks of playing contact-permitted walking football are relatively low. Some larger clubs offer health assessments for new members and we encourage you to seek professional medical advice before playing competitively.
• How many walking football clubs are there in the UK?
Walking football is the country’s fastest growing sport with over 1,000 active sessions and clubs across England, Scotland and Wales. Do you run a walking football event that isn’t listed on our website? Email [email protected] to submit for free now.