Last updated : Monday, 01 July 2024
Introduction
Leisure Leagues is a franchise of five and six-a-side football leagues primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. As of April 2017, the Leisure Leagues network had more than 3,000 leagues in the UK alone, which made it the largest independent network of leagues in the world.
The leagues are open to all ages and abilities, and teams can be made up of friends, colleagues, or even strangers. Matches are played on artificial turf pitches at leisure centers and sports facilities across the country.
Leisure Leagues is a great way to get fit, have fun, and meet new people. It's also a great way to improve your football skills.
History
Leisure Leagues was founded in the 1980s by a group of sports facility managers. The first leagues were set up in rural or provincial towns in the UK where the opportunity for low-cost competitive sport was limited.
The Leisure League Allstars, which allowed teams to play others across the countries, was formed in 1998. Leagues appeared in the Republic of Ireland in 2007, in the United States in 2012, in Pakistan in 2017, and Mexico in 2019. The Pakistan leagues were launched with a series of exhibition games played by footballers such as Ronaldinho and Ryan Giggs.
How it works
To join a Leisure League, you can either create your own team or join an existing one. Once you have a team, you will need to register it with Leisure Leagues.
Matches are played on a weekly basis, and the season usually runs from September to April. The number of matches in a season varies depending on the league.
The cost of playing in a Leisure League varies depending on the league. However, it is generally very affordable.
Benefits of playing in a Leisure League
- Get fit and have fun
- Meet new people
- Improve your football skills
- Compete against other teams
- Win prizes
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