A MARATHON FIVE-A-SIDE football match played in Ireland has been officially verified as a new Guinness World Record.
The match took place in Portlaoise in June and lasted 53 hours, making it the longest ever played. The final score was 695-601.
The record bid was organised by Sodexo Ireland and has to date raised €18,000 for the company’s three chosen charities: Barnardos, Irish Cancer Society and St. Vincent de Paul.
In order to have their record verified, the teams had to submit print and video evidence to the World Records body.
Their time comfortably beat the existing world record of 43 hours as well as the unofficial world record of 52 hours set in the UK last year.
“We had to play competitively throughout because that’s a key requirement and believe me, that was pretty tough going in the early hours of the morning after 40-odd hours on your feet,” organiser Andrew McGinley said.
“We’re over the moon at the result.”
