This partnership pact between the FPF and the CCEA, which is in charge of the Healthy Active Ageing Action Plan (PAEAS), intends to promote ‘walking football’ and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
Following this accord, this football version for individuals over 50 will be included in the PAEAS’s operations, which aim to “maximise the longevity and quality of life of Portuguese citizens.”
The FPF president, Fernando Gomes, feels that “incorporating ‘walking football’ into the Active and Healthy Ageing Action Plan represents an important step in the mission to encourage sports practice at all ages.”
“This football format, adapted for citizens over 50 years of age, not only promotes physical activity, but also social interaction, inclusion and emotional well-being, contributing significantly to improving the quality of life of our senior population” , according to him.
According to Fernando Gomes, ‘walking football’ is an excellent illustration of how sports activities may be tailored to incorporate all individuals, regardless of age or physical condition.
The FPF has fostered and promoted ‘walking football’ in Portugal, working closely with district and regional football bodies, and there are already about 1,500 federated athletes.
The average age of players is 67 years, with one athlete aged 93 in the Viseu Football Association. Furthermore, 45 percent of Portuguese players are women.
Walking football is a variety that does not involve sprinting, leaping, tripping, sliding, or tackling, with the goal of encouraging persons over the age of 50 to participate in the sport while also fostering integration and socialisation in support of a more active lifestyle.
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