Croatian Walking Football presented at international tournament in Vienna

Croatia once again showcased the development of its walking football program by fielding two teams, this time under conditions different from those previously used. The tournament followed rules that include six players per team without goalkeepers, small goals, and a reduced penalty area—significantly changing the style of play compared to the five-a-side format with a goalkeeper, which has so far been used in Croatia. These rules are currently applied in four European countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria.

The Zagreb-based team Stari plehovi (Old Tinplates), although not winning first place, achieved the best result among the teams playing under the rules currently undergoing unification under UEFA. The second Croatian team, Superstarci, with an average player age of 72, recorded one victory and secured a mid-table finish.

As part of the event, a symposium was held on the development of walking football in different countries. Croatia was represented by Iva Radušić from the association Sijede vrijede, who presented the progress of walking football in Croatia over the past two and a half years, highlighting the support of the Croatian Football Federation. The presentation was met with positive feedback and resulted in invitations to future international tournaments.

Croatia also made a significant step forward in the area of officiating. As the only country with a developed Refereeing Committee within its walking football association, Croatian referees Darko Cvitković, Željko Sokolić, and Boris Vrbanović officiated the final matches of the tournament and were recognized by both organizers and participants as the best referees of the event.

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