The Walking Football League project is a continuation of the previous European Legends Walking Football programme. The Walking Football League is formed by 10 European clubs which develop their local Walking Football competitions with common rules approved by all 10 clubs. Twice a year, these 10 clubs are invited to join in the International Walking Football League tournament.
The partners of this EU funded project, coordinated by EFDN, are Vålerenga, Ferencváros, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Rangers, Benfica, Real Betis, Schalke 04, Greenock Morton, Newcastle United, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WALKING FOOTBALL LEAGUE PROJECT
The Walking Football League project objectives have been shaped and agreed via an extensive consultation process with all project partners, informed by the specific challenges faced within each of the individual European territories with regard to health-enhancing physical activity, sport for all and social inclusion. Through this process, people from 50 years of age were consistently identified as the key demographic target group that needs to be addressed. Therefore, in preparing this application, we have conducted an extensive Context and Policy Review in each of the partner territories to determine how sport currently impacts local, regional, and national policy in each of the social policy domains outlined below. To ensure maximum impact on European policy objectives in the field of sport, and deliver the highest possible levels of added value at EU level, consortium partners have therefore identified the following social policy outcomes as the key areas of focus:
- Enhance the number of physically active people within the target group.
- Enhance the number of social contacts of local participants.
- Create a sustainable partnership between the different stakeholders in the European Walking Football landscape to agree on common rules of the game and a create a sustainable strategy to develop this new sport across Europe.
- Promote and disseminate this adapted and improved football / sport methodology to a wide range of stakeholders in countries all around Europe.
- Promotion of the European guidelines on health-enhancing physical activities (HEPA).
Specific Objectives
- Evaluate existing methodologies.
- Further Testing and Development overarching European Walking Football League Methodology.
- Promote a healthy lifestyle and the importance of regular physical activity.
- Promote social inclusion and integration for people over 50 years old.
- Promote football and sport in general as a force for good to stakeholders (sport clubs / NGO’s / national and local governments.
- Increase community involvement of people over the age of 50 who are at risk of social exclusion in sport and the wider community.
- Raise awareness of the social power of sport to a wider audience.
- Share project experiences and best practices.
The Erasmus-Plus funded Walking Football League Programme kicked off in January 2022.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR WALKING FOOTBALL LEAGUE?
If you would like to know more about how to join our league, the benefits and the process, fill in this form and we will contact you.