Guides › Walking and women's football

Walking football and women's 5-a-side

5-a-side isn't only for blokes in their twenties. Walking football and women's and mixed 5-a-side are both growing, and both are easy to start: a group, a pitch and a regular slot.

Walking football

Walking football is 5-a-side or 6-a-side played at a walk. It's popular with players over 50, people coming back from injury and anyone who wants a game without the sprinting. The usual rules:

No running. One foot on the ground at all times. Running gives away a free kick.
No contact. No tackling from behind, no barging.
The ball stays below head height, often below the crossbar or hip height, depending on the session.
Nobody in the keeper's area except the keeper.

Sessions often run during the day at leisure centres and community clubs, with a small fee per session. Local organisers and clubs can tell you their exact rules. If none run near you, starting one is the same as starting any 5-a-side team: a group, a pitch and a regular slot.

Women's and mixed 5-a-side

Women's and mixed teams play at every level, from complete beginners to ex-players. Many venues run women's and mixed leagues alongside the men's, and some run beginner sessions.

Finding a team: ask at your local venue, look for women's football groups on social media, or start a team with friends and workmates.
Mixed leagues often have a rule on how many women must be on the pitch. Check before you enter.
Need a name? There's a list for women's and mixed teams in our 5-a-side team names.

How Rush Goalie helps

Rush Goalie works for men's, women's, mixed and walking football. Start a team, share the link, and the app sorts who's in, who's paid, the score and the table. Players need to be 18 or over.