The presentation of the walking football championship on Thursday sur

Torrox becomes the Spanish capital of walking football this weekend

Eight teams from around Spain will play in the Iberian Challenge Cup. The sport is played by men and women over 50 years of age. Players are not allowed to run and the ball must not be passed in the air

Friday, 25 February 2022, 09:41 | Updated 13:20h.

Walking football, a sport created around a decade ago in the United Kingdom, is gaining more and more followers in Spain and especially Malaga province, due to the large number of foreign residents.

Torrox will tomorrow (Saturday 26 February) host the Iberian Walking Football Challenge Cup, from 10am to 4.30pm, at the San Roque football pitch. It is first championship of this sport to be held in Torrox, in which eight teams from all over Spain will participate.

Walking football, which has caught on across Europe, is played by men and women over 50 years of age. Players are not allowed to run and the ball must not be passed in the air.

Torrox's councillor for sport, José Manuel Fernández, explained on Thursday at the presentation of the event that this new form of football is intended is to "integrate the community of European residents, which is increasingly growing and becoming more diverse in Torrox.

Steven Lynton, president of the local team, Torrox Tornadores, along with several of its members, have been training for a few weeks with members from the UK, Belgium, Holland, Ireland and Scotland.

The local team will be accompanied by two other teams from Axarquia; from La Viñuela and Cómpeta. Within Malaga province there will also be teams from Malaga city and Benahavís. Teams from Alicante and Athletic Club de Bilbao will also be participating. Jack Heynen, one of the members of Torrox Tornadores, has encouraged residents, both European and national residents, to get to know this new sport, whose European championship is held annually in Portugal.

Heynen thanked the town hall and the sports councillor for their “support and collaboration” to make championship possible. He also invited people to come and learn more about the game.