Novel flavour in football will be served to fans during the final of the Lagos Waka Football League (LWFL) which will be held at the Eagles Club football pitch, Surulere, Lagos on Saturday, January 13, 2024.The competition, managed by the Lagos Waka Football Association which featured four teams, First Waka A, Managers, First Waka B and Apapa Ajegunle, is the maiden league in walking football in Nigeria. Also known as non-running football, walking football is a healthy initiative which features only players above 50 years of age.
After five matches each, First Waka A and Managers are first and second on the log with 12points each, while First Waka B and Apapa Ajegunle have 5points and One point respectively. The final fixture will have First Waka A and Managers slug it out for the trophy. The winner of the match will emerge champions. If the game ends in a draw, First Waka will be crowned the champions on goals difference of +15 against Managers’ +7.
In hot contention for the Fair Play trophy is Apapa Ajegunle, who are ahead of others with 5points. Others are First Waka B(8.5points), Managers (12.5points) and First Waka A (14.5 points).
Walking football promotes fair play with strict application of the rules against running, heading the ball, kicks above shoulders heights and no tackling from sides or behind. Team with the least offensive play wins the Fair Play trophy.
Chairman of Lagos Waka Football Association, Mr. Godson Uti, expressed his delight at the growing interest in walking football in the country.
He said that although there are waka football teams in Abuja and other parts of the country, ‘’only Lagos has been able to organize a league. And we are looking to introduce more divisions for the league to encourage development.’’
‘’ We are planning for Abuja and other states. Walking football good for the corporate players as it offers opportunity for older lovers of football to stay active as it also provides a social outlet for them.’’
It would be recalled that Nigeria participated in the first edition of the Walking Football World Nations Cup at the prestigious St. Georges Park, England, August 2023.
‘’It was a great honour to our country at the first ever Walking Football World Cup. We were able to raise a team and we finished 9th out of 64 nations that featured in the championship. We are not only consolidating the gains from participating in the World Cup, but also working hard to grow the game in the country,’’ said Uti.
He explained that England has leagues above 50, 60 and 70 years of age, saying, ‘’we hope to get there in no distant future’’.
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