Walking Football launched in Australia

Liam Watson

In a move to bolster its participation numbers, Football Federation Australia have launched a new ‘Walking Football’ program to suit older Australians wanting to take part in the sport.

Active Ageing Australia and each of the Member Federations have teamed up to bring a national Walking Football program for everyone in metropolitan, regional and remote locations.

With different rules that reflect a more laid-back and social environment, age is no longer a barrier from continuing to play the game for as long as possible.

Walking Football is low-impact and team-orientated exercise which has no contact and requires players to have one foot on the ground at all times.

It is a quick-fire way to get out and be active, using modified formats (5v5/6v6) on smaller pitches and shortened match times.

The idea of Walking Football is to improve the overall wellbeing of participants, both physically and mentally. The social interaction and light-hearted approach should make this a popular alternative for older Australians.

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Mito, Nagasaki and Chiba step up: will they prove themselves in J1 football?

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Image Credit: JLeague.co

The Meiji Yasuda J1 100-Year Vision League begins in a matter of weeks.

Mito Hollyhock, V-Varen Nagasaki and JEF United Chiba will all feature in Japan’s top flight following their second-tier campaigns last season.

Mito’s historic breakthrough and Nagasaki’s return

For Mito, it marks uncharted territory. The Ibaraki outfit have never played first-division football, having operated exclusively in J2 since their founding 26 years ago. Last year’s title, secured on goal difference after a 70-point haul, changes that.

Arata Watanabe anchored their attack despite an injury-interrupted season. He netted 13 times and created seven more. Sho Omori provided width and service from left-back, appearing in every match and registering the team’s highest totals for passes and crosses.

Nagasaki return after an eight-year absence. Their second-place finish came in their inaugural campaign at PEACE STADIUM Connected by SoftBank. Takuya Takagi, who previously guided them into J1 in 2017, regained control midway through last season. His side dropped just one match in 19 under his leadership. 

Matheus Jesus carried the attacking burden. The Brazilian struck 19 goals and was named J2 Player of the Year. His output alone accounted for much of Nagasaki’s upward trajectory.

Chiba’s journey back has taken 17 years. Once part of the J. League’s inaugural cohort in the early 1990s, relegation in 2009 began a prolonged exile. Third place in the regular season sent them into the play-offs.  A 4-3 comeback from three goals down against RB Omiya Ardija in the semi-final preceded a 1-0 victory over Tokushima Vortis in the final. Carlinhos Junior’s winner in the final capped one of the most dramatic promotion campaigns in recent J. League history.

Each club brings distinct narratives into the top flight. For Mito, Nagasaki and Chiba, survival will mean validating years of ambition, while success could redefine their place in Japanese football. Momentum from promotion campaigns will be tested when fixtures commence in early February.

Three Football West teams reach national futsal grand finals

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Football West has three teams competing for national futsal glory on Saturday.

The 2026 Mitre National Futsal Championships conclude at the Gold Coast Sport and Leisure Centre in Queensland.

The WA Boys U12s, U14s and U15s will all chase national titles. The three grand final appearances cap a dominant tournament performance. Football West recorded a 67% win rate across the competition.

The U12s secured their spot with a composed 4-2 semi-final win over Queensland Maroon. They will face Queensland White in Saturday’s final.

The U14s began the day with an emphatic 11-2 quarter-final victory over Northern NSW. They then edged NSW Thunder 2-1 in a tight semi-final. They meet Queensland Maroon in the decider.

The U15s showed their quality with a dominant 6-0 quarter-final win over Capital Football. They then shut out Queensland 2-0 to book their final berth. They face NSW Metro on Saturday.

The WA Boys U13s and U16s both reached the semi-finals. The U13s defeated Queensland Silver 6-1 before falling 5-4 to Capital. The U16s beat Northern NSW 3-1. They then went down 4-0 to NSW Thunder.

The WA Girls U13s and U15s both exited in the quarter-finals. The WA Girls U17s finished their campaign with a 3-0 pool stage win over Tasmania.

Overall, 533 goals were scored across 79 matches at the championships. Football West topped the win rate table for the day.

Saturday’s grand finals will be live-streamed on the Football Australia YouTube page. Football West will provide updates and results across its digital channels throughout the day.

All three WA teams will aim to bring national titles back to Western Australia. They aim to cap what has been a successful week on the Gold Coast.

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