Nigeria’s walking football movement has reached a significant milestone following the country’s hosting of its first international Waka Football matches, with the Nigerian Walking Football Association targeting a four-nation tournament in 2027 to accelerate the sport’s growth.
Nigeria hosted Rwanda in two international fixtures at the Eagles Club in Lagos on Saturday, October 24, 2026, with the hosts recording victories in both age categories. Nigeria’s over-60 team won 1-0, while the over-50 side secured a 2-0 victory.
The historic encounter marked the return leg of a sporting relationship that began in 2022, when Nigeria’s walking football community travelled to Rwanda for a friendly match following an invitation from the East African country’s national team.
The event was attended by the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Grassroots Sports, Anthony Adeboye, who served as special guest of honour, alongside former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Second Vice President and Lagos State Football Association Chairman, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi.
Adegbindin Targets Four-Nation Tournament in 2027
Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Walking Football Association, Majeed Adegbindin, described the international fixtures as an important step in the development of the sport and disclosed plans to bring more African countries together for a bigger competition next year.
Speaking with Sportsbeat, Adegbindin revealed that the Lagos event was originally conceived as a four-nation tournament involving Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana and Morocco. However, Ghana and Morocco were unable to participate because of separate challenges.
“Unfortunately, the Moroccans cancelled the trip for obvious reasons that we don’t want to start publicising. And the Ghanaians also had some challenges that we don’t want to publicise,” he said.
Despite the setbacks, Adegbindin expressed optimism that Nigeria could host the proposed tournament in 2027.
“We’re looking towards next year having the four-nation tournament here in Nigeria,” he said.
Adegbindin traced Nigeria’s relationship with Rwanda’s walking football community to 2022, when the Nigerian contingent travelled to Rwanda for a friendly encounter. According to him, Nigeria has visited the country twice, making the latest fixtures particularly significant as Rwanda travelled to Nigeria for the return engagement.
Walking Football Gains Acceptance Nationwide
Adegbindin said the sport was expanding rapidly across Nigeria, with organised leagues already operating in Lagos and Abuja, while plans are underway to establish another in Plateau State, beginning with Jos.
“The acceptance has been great, and the sport is spreading very fast all over the country,” he said, pointing to recent matches in Jos and Abuja as evidence of its growing popularity.
The Lagos league currently features eight teams, with players from the domestic competitions forming the pool from which the Nigerian squad was selected for the international matches.
Adegbindin confirmed that the team featured players from Lagos and Abuja, including representatives of Apapa Golden Stars, reflecting the association’s approach of drawing from its existing league structure.
He attributed the growing interest partly to the format of walking football, which limits physical contact and replaces running with walking, making it an alternative for older adults who want to remain active through football.
“The essence of it is that there’s no contact, so there’s no risk of injury. It’s a game you can play, exercise yourself and go to work the next day,” he explained.
The sport provides an opportunity for former players and other football enthusiasts to continue participating in organised competition while maintaining physical activity and social connections.
Funding and Sponsorship Remain Major Challenges
Despite the growing participation, Adegbindin identified funding as a major challenge, explaining that the organisers have largely relied on personal contributions to sustain the sport’s development.
“The funding basically has been privatised. I mean, it’s within us. We have actually tried to raise money between ourselves just to grow the game,” he said.
He stressed that establishing a recognisable brand, increasing the number of participating teams and improving publicity would be crucial to attracting corporate sponsorship.
“We’re actually trying to build a brand, really. And you know, if you don’t have a brand, you cannot actually solicit for support,” Adegbindin said.
“When you have a brand, you have enough teams, we have enough publicity, and companies can get mileage, then I think they’ll start coming in.”
The association is therefore looking to use the momentum generated by the international matches to strengthen its profile, expand domestic competitions and demonstrate the sport’s potential to prospective commercial partners.
Dokunmu Calls for More Older People to Embrace the Sport
The National Secretary of the Nigerian Walking Football Association, Agbolade Madoks Dokunmu, also welcomed the successful hosting of the international fixtures, describing the occasion as a fulfilling achievement for the country’s growing walking football community.
Dokunmu urged more older people to embrace the sport, highlighting its physical and mental benefits and its potential to keep participants active as they age.
“It’s fulfilling to host the first international Waka Football match in Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that walking football combines physical exercise with mental coordination while providing an opportunity for older adults to maintain their involvement in the game.
“It’s a contactless game, with a lot of mental coordination. It keeps the body healthy and makes the body grow younger,” Dokunmu added.
His remarks underline the association’s ambition to position Waka Football not only as a competitive sporting activity but also as an accessible avenue for exercise, social interaction and healthy ageing.
Nigeria Looks to Build on Historic Achievement
With its first international fixtures successfully completed, Nigeria’s walking football community now faces the task of converting the milestone into sustained growth.
Expanding the existing leagues in Lagos and Abuja, establishing a competition in Jos, attracting sponsors and securing participation from Ghana and Morocco for a proposed four-nation tournament are among the key objectives ahead.
For Dokunmu and Adegbindin, the progress represents an opportunity to widen access to football for older Nigerians while building stronger international relationships through a game designed to keep people active and connected.
The successful matches against Rwanda have provided a foundation on which the association hopes to build as it pursues a more structured and sustainable future for Waka Football in Nigeria.
