Estepona WFC on Talk Radio Europe - From Three Players to Thirty-Two

Thursday 5 November 2026

Estepona Walking Football Club was on the radio this morning. Head Coach Mark Lamb joined Giles Brown live in the Talk Radio Europe studio, alongside Marc Elliott de Lama of club sponsor Fluent Finance Abroad, to talk about how the club came together and why so many players get hooked on walking football.

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Pictured left to right: Mark Lamb (Estepona WFC Head Coach), Giles Brown (Talk Radio Europe) and Marc Elliott de Lama (Fluent Finance Abroad), all in the new club shirt.

Listen to the discussion

The clip is taken from Talk Radio Europe’s Let’s Talk with Giles Brown, broadcast on Thursday 5 November 2026. Our thanks to TRE for having us on.

Three players in April, thirty-two today

“We formed it back in April this year,” Mark told listeners. “We started off with three players and now we’re up to the dizzy heights of thirty-two.”

The club plays in the Andalucian Walking Football League, with teams stretching along the coast as far as Nerja. Mark gave listeners the current standings: the Over-50s top of the table after two games, and the Over-60s fourth with a game in hand.

Mark also thanked the people who made it possible: the Mayor of Estepona and Begoña at the town hall, who were surprised that Benahavís, Calahonda and Málaga all had clubs while a town the size of Estepona had nothing, and CD Cancelada, whose ground we call home. “They were scratching their heads saying ‘what’s this?’, and now we see the coaches staying back from the kids’ sessions to watch.”

Walking football 101

Giles asked for the beginner’s guide, and Mark obliged. Seven a side, three rolling substitutes, and one rule that keeps referees busy: both feet must never leave the ground at the same time, or it counts as running.

“The key ingredients are a good touch, being able to pass the ball, and game awareness, knowing where you should be on the pitch. I call it football chess.”

“Some people think it’s the graveyard of football. I thought that myself for about two years. But when you get the bug for it, it’s amazing.”

He had the numbers to back it up. In an English FA survey of 352 players at a tournament, 82% reported improved social connections, 73% reported better fitness, and 99.7% said they would carry on playing the following season.

More than what happens on the pitch

The part of the conversation that stuck with the studio was about everything that happens off the pitch.

“We don’t just put years on people’s lives. We want to put life into those years,” Mark said. “I’ve seen a couple of our players come down to us having maybe split up with their partner. They’re kind of lost, but now they’ve got thirty-odd men around them. The most important thing for me is not what goes on the pitch, it’s off the pitch. We encourage the players, as a community, to look out for and support each other.”

That support runs both ways. One of our players, a lawyer, recently helped Mark with some legal advice free of charge, and the squad is encouraged to give something back to the sponsors and the wider community in return.

Mark thanked both club sponsors on air: Fluent Finance Abroad, whose support paid for the new kit (Giles was wearing it in the studio and described it as “rather handsome”), and ParkPayStay, run by our own player Bill.

Our sponsors and supporters

• Fluent Finance Abroad, Spanish mortgage specialists since 2006 and the name on the front of the shirt
• ParkPayStay, parking payments made simple, run by our own player Bill
• Ayuntamiento de Estepona, for getting behind the club from day one
• CD Cancelada, for sharing their ground with us
• W3IT, for the website
• Talk Radio Europe, for having us on air

A challenge to other clubs

Mark also issued an open invitation to any other sports club on the coast. “You play us at walking football and we’ll play you at your sport.” Padel, netball, rugby, or anything else, the club is up for it. Get in touch if your club fancies a go.

Want to Get Back on the Pitch?

Estepona Walking Football Club is welcoming new players for both its Over-50s and Over-60s teams, and there is a friendly Over-65s league too.

Whether you’ve played football all your life, or haven’t kicked a ball for years, the club would love to hear from you. As Mark put it on air: “If you’re listening and you want to come along, give it a go.”

If you’re based in the Costa del Sol or Andalucía and would like to find out more about joining Estepona WFC, send us a message via our Contact Page or Facebook page.

Come along, meet the team and get back to doing what you love: playing football. https://esteponawfc.com/