“From day one of setting up the Walking Football Leagues’ Alliance league representative football was to be one of the most important parts of the WFLA ethos.”
Why Have League Representative Sides?
Representative teams are not a single entity but rather a term that can refer to different representative football teams organized usually by football associations at various levels, such as a County FA. Currently the Football Association is unlikely to get behind such an initiative for walking football.
Walking Football is about improving physical and mental fitness, building relationships, engendering team spirit, with some casual opportunities thrown in, so that we can enjoy the beautiful game no matter what our age.
There are now many walking football FA affiliated and non-FA affiliated teams and walking football leagues in the UK. The WFLA currently has thirty-two member leagues and for that reason alone our members have a wonderful opportunity to test their best players against other walking football leagues.
Having established a league representative side, it will allow a walking football league to compete at a National level against the absolute best leagues from around the UK.
FAQ’s:
Q – What are the benefits of playing representative football?
A – As a player, playing representative football for your League or your County allows you to test your ability against the best walking football players from other Leagues or Counties during the year. It is a great honour to play in a team, which represents your League or County. Some of us remember what it felt like when we were younger!
Q – What is the Inter League Cup that you are promoting? Does this mean that the WFLA would run events for League Representative sides? For example, you would pick a League rep side from our local FA teams, if our teams/leagues were involved?
A – Each league or league team manager would pick their own league sides not the WFLA. The manager and often an assistant manager are responsible for selecting the squad and organizing matches. We would only organise and run a national tournament. Teams may train together several times a year and participate in practice matches against other representative sides or regional teams.
Q – How would the players be selected for the teams?
A – Dependent on the level of interest, players should be picked through clubs being asked to refer players for selection and go through a selection process. The players who represent your league should be drawn from the absolute best players who play for clubs who participate in your league and cup competitions and be affiliated with your local County FA. Players must be registered on the FA Whole Game system with teams affiliated to the walking football league they are representing in the competition.
Q – How would these teams be funded?
A – We would hope that such an initiative would eventually have the backing of the FA and the County FA’s across the UK but until such a time as this happens, we advise that leagues representative teams seek out partnerships and sponsorships to cover their costs, kits, and equipment etc.
Q – Can non-FA affiliated teams play in the WFLA Inter League Cup?
A – No, only WFLA leagues/clubs/teams’ players affiliated to a local County FA who are also WFLA members.
Q – Can just one club/teams act as a representative of a League?
A – Whilst the WFLA understands a league team might contain members of just one club, as from December 2025, teams entering the WFLA Inter League Cup competition are to have shirts that are to be badged up to show that they represent their League i.e. in effect, no club shirts are to be worn.
Q – How many age categories does the Inter League Cup can entry this competition?
A – The WFLA run tournaments across all age categories; over 50s, over 60s, over 65s, over 70s, Women’s over 40’s and Women’s Over 50’s. The ‘finals’ will always be played at one central location, and all age categories are included. This would be a one-day event and include a maximum of 36 teams i.e. six per age category.