Walking football events across NSW are expanding rapidly, with local social gala days, competitive tournaments and interstate opportunities creating more ways than ever for older Australians to enjoy the game.
It’s exciting to see just how many opportunities there are to play walking football compared with just a few years ago.
Participation continues to grow rapidly, particularly across NSW, and with that growth comes a fantastic range of events for every type of player.
There are now several established competitive tournaments, from different associations, on the calendar, including the Central Coast tournament in March, Wollongong in May and Cromer in December. New events are also emerging, such as the Kenthurst Gala Day in July and Newcastle in August, which have all the makings of becoming annual fixtures.
Beyond NSW, players can also enjoy interstate events including the Queensland Cup in April, the Coolum Carnival in September, the Pan Pacific Games (held in November every second year), the Australian Masters Games, and tournaments hosted in South Australia and Western Australia.
As these opportunities have expanded, WFNSW has taken the path to stay true to what we do best, growing grassroots walking football. Our focus remains on supporting and expanding weekly hubs across NSW while also offering inclusive, social events where everyone can enjoy the game.
Growing Our Social Calendar
Alongside the increasing number of competitive tournaments, WFNSW is committed to establishing four social gala days each year, giving members regular opportunities to meet, connect and play walking football with others from across the state.
Our social calendar includes:
- The Annual Biscuit Cup (in conjunction with Primates Walking Football)
- Two WFNSW Members’ Gala Days, hosted by different hubs each year. In 2026 these will be held at Parramatta (March) and North Bankstown (September).
- The Annual Women’s Walking Football Festival, celebrating women in our game while raising awareness and support for important community causes.
Over time, these events will move around NSW wherever possible, making them accessible to more players and giving hubs the opportunity to showcase their local walking football communities.
If you have an idea for a gala day, would like to host an event, or simply want to lend a hand, we’d love to hear from you. WFNSW has planning templates, resources and experienced volunteers who can provide guidance and support to help bring your event to life.
Every event has its own personality. Some cater for specific age groups, while others offer men’s, women’s or mixed divisions. Organisers invest countless hours designing formats that best suit their players, taking into account expected numbers, age profiles and what else is already happening on the walking football calendar. No two events need to look the same and that’s one of the strengths of our sport. Some events will appeal more to some players than others, and that’s perfectly okay. There really is something on offer for everyone to play walking football.
These events don’t happen by themselves. They require a great deal of planning and are made possible by volunteers who generously give their time because they’re passionate about growing our walking football community.
The beauty of our sport is that there really is something for everyone. Some events will be highly competitive. Some will be purely social. Others may combine both. The increasing variety means players can choose the experience that suits them best.
If you’ve ever thought about organising a gala day or tournament in your local hub or region, we’d love to hear from you. We have planning templates, resources and plenty of experience to share. What we don’t have is enough people or enough hours in the day to bring every idea to life.
The calendar is filling up and that’s exactly what we hoped would happen. More opportunities, more communities, and more people discovering the benefits of walking football. The more people who are willing to put their hand up and create opportunities in their own communities, the stronger walking football will become across Australia.
