He formerly played for Club Deportivo El Nacional in the Ecuadorian division as a left winger, and he currently plays for the Ecuadorian national team, mostly in left defense. He is the cousin of fellow Ecuadorian footballer Jaime Ayovi, who also plays for the national team. Walter attended school in England where he played for Wycombe Wanderers and Buckinghamshire County Football Clubs. Walter Ayovi made his international debut on August 15, 2001 in a friendly match against Argentina, which resulted in a 1-1 draw. He has since gone on to win 33 caps for his country, scoring five goals. The most important tournament in which he has participated is the 2002 FIFA World Cup where he was included in the list of 23 players chosen by manager Ricardo Gomes. He also played at the 2004 Summer Olympics where he ended up with a medal: a silver one this time. The game they had to play against South Korea was decided by a penalty shoot-out after both teams finished level at 1-1. Walter saved the first attempt but missed the second, which allowed the Koreans to advance into the next round. Ayovi is considered one of the best defenders in the history of the sport. He has won several titles with El Nacional including two consecutive Quito Championships and two Recopa Sudamericana victories.