Documentary Footage: Elderly Football Moms World Cup: A Special Correspondent Tracks the French Team, Averaging Sixty-Three Years Old
A 2025 Event Like None Other:
April saw an extraordinary competition unfold in Tzaneen, northern South Africa: the World Cup of... football, exclusively for grandmothers. In an interview with "Envoyé spécial," Mama Beka, the driving force behind this tournament, shared her thoughts. With teams hailing from the USA and France, she felt immense pride at having fostered such international camaraderie.
South Africa, unlike France, was buzzing with senior women's football teams. When the "Football Queens" from Cales, a quaint village in Dordogne, France, squared off against the Soweto team, they knew they faced a tough challenge. These 25 women, the focus of "Envoyé spécial," were long shots. The heat, too, posed challenges for their weathered bodies.
Square Off: The Dordogne "Football Queens"
Unfamiliar with the rules and techniques of round-ball football just a few months prior, Joelle, a 71-year-old striker, Karine, their 61-year-old captain, Claudia, a 57-year-old novice, and the rest joined forces in response to a small ad. Training under Maryse, a former high-level player and a 65-year-old veteran, they managed to pull off remarkable performances, advancing further thanks to an unforeseen draw (notably, their goalkeeper's heroics). A small miracle, a great emotion.
The day after their grueling match, the "Football Queens" faced annihilation, having just 24 hours to recuperate. Facing their South African opponents, they took the early lead. The final score: a convincing 4-0 victory, securing a spot in the quarter-finals.
In the following round, the French team unfortunately lost (by a slim margin), but their determination remained undiminished. They look ahead to the next "grandma football" World Cup in 2027, scheduled to take place in Kenya.
Excerpt from "Grandma Plays the World Cup," a "Envoyé spécial" report that aired on June 5, 2025.
The replays of the news magazines from France Télévisions are available on our website, in the "Magazines" section.
> The Background:
Known as the "Grannies World Cup," this event attracts teams from around the globe. Combining soccer with a spirit of camaraderie, it serves as inspiration for participants and audiences alike.
Based on various reports, teams from about a dozen countries take part, with South Africa hosting many editions of this tournament[3].
> The Rules and Format:
Though specific rules are not widely published for the Grannies World Cup, it generally involves non-professional teams from local communities competing in various rounds.
The exact format can vary, but reports suggest a group stage followed by knockout rounds to determine the championship winner[3][4].
> The Teams:
Teams are often divided into groups, with the top ones progressing to subsequent rounds. The competition provides an opportunity for local areas to engage in friendly matches and build international friendships among participants.
As a non-FIFA event, the Grannies World Cup doesn't follow FIFA's strict eligibility rules, such as requiring a "clear connection" to the country a player represents[1]. Instead, it prioritizes promoting unity and teamwork among participants.
In the 2027 Grannies World Cup, the "Football Queens" from France, who hail from Cales, Dordogne, will look to build on their 2025 experiences, aiming to advance in European leagues and challenge teams from other continents, such as Laliga in Spain.
With the camaraderie and inclusivity of the Grannies World Cup in mind, it is intriguing to analyze the team structure and strategy of the French team, contrasting it with the more traditional football teams in some European leagues.
Amidst the international fervor for football, the 2027 Grannies World Cup promises to be another remarkable event showcasing the passion for sports among the elderly, carrying on the legacy of the 2025 tournament that brought together grandmothers from across the globe.
