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The Forest Sports Zone was transformed into an international stage today as Nottingham Forest Community Trust welcomed Ferencváros Walking Football for a special European friendly. 

Representing the club as ambassadors on the afternoon of the UEFA Europa League tie between the two clubs, our players delivered a performance that proved European nights are for the whole community to enjoy.

This fixture also represented a proud milestone for the Trust, marking the first time our walking football participants have stepped onto the pitch to represent Nottingham Forest against an international counterpart.

The prestige of the afternoon was further elevated by a generous gesture from Nottingham Forest’s Principal Club Partner, Bally’s. To mark this historic occasion, Bally’s kindly donated a full set of 2025/26 home shirts for the Trust participants. Seeing our players line up in the iconic Garibaldi, provided by a key club partner, ensured the squad felt like true ambassadors for both the Club and the City of Nottingham.

The matches were played with a high level of technical skill, reflecting the experience of the visiting Hungarian side, who have previously travelled to face clubs like Real Betis and Schalke 04.

Máté Bálint, Head of International & CSR at Ferencváros Torna Club, said: “Slowly we are building a tradition: in each European cup season, we are looking forward to play walking football on the side of our presence in the UEFA club competitions with our opponent clubs.

We succeeded to play with Bayer 04 Leverkusen back in 2023 when we qualified to the R16 of UEFA Europa League. Last season, we played with Eintracht Frankfurt (later on they visited us in Hungary, too) and now here we are at the birthplace of football with Nottingham Forest, writing history together with our host!”

For the Forest players, the opportunity to test themselves against continental opposition was a memory that will last a lifetime, bridging the gap between local community sport and the professional European stage.

Colin Eley, Health & Wellbeing Manager at Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said: “Walking football is a brilliant way to break down barriers to participation. It’s about togetherness, not just competition. Events like this highlight the power of collaboration and connection in building a stronger, healthier community. We thrive when we have strong connections with others and feel supported by the people around us.”

While the first teams prepare for the atmosphere of the City Ground tonight, the bond formed between the Trust and Ferencváros at the Forest Sports Zone proves that the “Beautiful Game” truly has no age limit or borders.

To view more about getting involved in our Walking Football sessions, click here.