In 2019, a group of mates in Paphos set up a walking football club to keep fit, meet new people and continue playing football after the age of 50.

Today, Pafos United Walking Football Club is still growing. “We have new members joining us all the time,” club secretary Ian Charlesworth said.

Charlesworth, who served in Cyprus while in the RAF, spoke to the Sunday Mail about the club, how it has grown over the years and the games held four times a week, on Monday and Wednesday 6pm-8pm and Tuesday and Friday 8.30am-10.30am, at AM Fair Game Sports Centre in Tremithousa. Sessions are just €6 per player. 

“When I arrived in Cyprus with my family I had retired here and wanted to introduce the walking football concept. I discovered that my neighbour was going to play with a group of men who had also thought of this concept. So, I turned up at AM Fair Game Sports Centre with another 12 chaps,” Charlesworth remembers.

After finding out that “walking football was one of the fastest growing sports in the UK,” the handful of mates started planning a team and discussing how to promote it.

They “worked tirelessly” and decided to make Fair Game their team’s home.

“We didn’t have a team name at that time, club colours or anything that structured,” Charlesworth said.

The team had grown to 24 members and they agreed on Pafos United.

“We needed club colours, as we were thinking of football kit, to have some uniformity. Twelve voted on blue, 12 voted on black, so we adopted both and threw white into the mix. I created a club badge and then we set about trying to attract some sponsorship to pay for the kit and help our club move forward.” 

By the time the kit was ready, Pafos United was counting 80 members and afterwards female players were joining in, later forming a ladies’ team.

“PUWFC wanted to be taken seriously, we therefore tried unsuccessfully to become part of the Cyprus Football Association […] unfortunately we weren’t able to pursue this with CFA not recognising walking football as a sport despite both Fifa and Uefa promoting the sport successfully worldwide,” Charlesworth said.

Pending official recognition, the club has been operating as a non-profit organisation.

The club is open to sponsorship and aspires to continue its successful course.

The club also has a podcast ‘LETS GO 4 A LITTLE WALK’, sponsored by Polycarpos Philippou & Associates LLP. Two episodes presented by Chas and Ben are on Spotify, SoundCloud, www.wfic.com.cy, Podcast Index, Deezer, GoodPods, www.puwfc.com, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Podcast Addict and elsewhere. A third episode is coming soon.

WHO TO CONTACT:

Club secretary Charlie 96742836 [email protected]

General enquiries [email protected]

Website under construction www.puwfc.com

Facebook: public page Pafos United Walking Football Club, private group PUWFC