Following the latest releases of walking football Laws of the Game in February 2023 by the English Football Association (available here) and by the (separate) English Walking Football Association in March 2022 (available here), a working group has reviewed these sets of laws and produced a version specifically for use by East Algarve Walking Football (EAWF).

This new version shall be known as, and referred to as, East Algarve Walking Football Laws Of The Game – A Player’s Guide (revised January 2024) and is for use in the EAWF-organised walking football sessions, and for all EAWF-organised walking football tournaments. These laws will come into force as of 1st March, 2024.

The laws are given below and can also be downloaded as a pdf by clicking here

Walking Football is a non-contact version of Association Football.

Player Equipment

Jewellery such as watches and bracelets must be removed. If rings are worn they must be taped.
Some players may need to wear a medical device on their wrist/arm. These must be covered with a protective band.
It is advisable to wear shin pads. Some tournaments require them to be worn. Players selected for these tournaments will be informed prior to the event. Shin pads must be covered by socks.
Only footwear suitable for use on synthetic surfaces (‘astroturf’) may be worn. Footwear with blades or studs is not permitted.

Field of play dimensions

The dimensions should be appropriate to the playing venue and the number of participating players.

The penalty area

A penalty area is defined at each end of the field of play as a semi-circle of 6m radius is drawn from the centre of each goal line. The extremities of these semi-circles should reach the goal line.

Height of ball restriction

A height restriction is set at a designated height of 1.83 metres (6 feet).
The only exception to this is if the height of the crossbar of the goal exceeds this height, in which instance the designated height restriction is that of the height of the crossbar.

If the ball is played and rises above this height a free kick (see below) shall be awarded to the opposing team. The exceptions to this are:

  1. If the ball deflects off the goalkeeper in the process of making a save and exceeds the designated height restriction before returning into play, the ball will be deemed dead and will be returned to the goalkeeper
  2. If the ball deflects off the goalkeeper in the process of making a save, and exceeds the designated height restriction, but then directly leaves the field of play a corner or kick-in will be awarded, depending at which point the ball left the field of play
  3. If the ball exceeds the designated height restriction following a shot, or a shot that is deflected including by the goalkeeper and enters the goal, a goal will be awarded
  4. If the ball deflects off the goal frame and exceeds the designated height restriction. If the ball then returns into play then it is deemed dead and returned to the goalkeeper, otherwise a corner or kick-in will awarded as in ‘Height of ball restriction, point 2’ above

Kick-in / Roll-in

The kick-in is a method of restarting play.

  1. A kick-in is awarded if the whole of the ball passes over a touch line either on the ground or in the air.
  2. A kick-in is taken from the place where the ball crossed the touchline.
  3. The kick-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball.
  4. A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in.
  5. A corner kick is awarded if the ball passes over the goal line having last touched a defender. A goal cannot be scored directly from a corner kick.
  6. When the ball passes over the goal line having last touched an attacker the goalkeeper must restart play with a roll-in. The roll-in must be delivered underarm.

Free kicks

All free kicks will be indirect.

A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if during the game a player commits any of the following offences:

  1. When in motion does not walk; walking is described as having one foot on the ground at all times. The exception to this is when the goalkeeper is in the act of making a save. Otherwise, should the goalkeeper not walk but not deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, then a free kick is awarded
  2. Takes more than three touches of the ball without any other player touching it; the non-deliberate touches taken by the goalkeeper when making a save are not included here
  3. The ball exceeds the designated height restriction (see above)
  4. Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
  5. Attempts to play or block the ball using a sliding tackle; additionally, no attempt to play the ball from the floor is permitted
  6. Jumps at an opponent
  7. Charges at an opponent, including with the shoulder
  8. Barges or backs into an opponent
  9. Crowds an opponent (two players versus one)
  10. Tackles an opponent from behind or uses excessive force
  11. Plays in a dangerous manner
  12. Attempts to prevent the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from their hands (the roll-in)
  13. Heads the ball
  14. Handles the ball
  15. Attempts to shield the ball after three consecutive touches
  16. Deliberately impedes the progress of an opponent
  17. Receives the ball back from the goalkeeper, without the ball having made contact with any other player, having just passed it to that player
  18. The goalkeeper receives the ball back directly from a team mate to whom they have just passed the ball without the ball having made contact with any other player
  19. The goalkeeper handles the ball after receiving the ball from a deliberate back-pass
  20. The goalkeeper controls the ball with their hands or feet within the penalty area for more than six seconds
  21. An attacker deliberately enters the penalty area; if the attacker enters the area by momentum after the ball has been played or following a push by an opponent then no free kick is awarded

When a free kick is awarded, defenders must move away at least 3 metres from where the ball is placed.

Any free kick awarded for an offence closer than 3 metres to the penalty area will be taken 3 metres away from the penalty area delineation line. This also includes ‘Free kicks, points 1 (the goalkeeper) and 17 to 21’ above.

The penalty kick

A penalty kick is awarded if:

  1. A player infringed the laws of the game to deny the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO)
  2. A defender enters the penalty area except by momentum or following a push by an opponent
  3. The goalkeeper exits the penalty area except by momentum after the ball has been played
  4. The goalkeeper when not making a save does not walk and then denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity

In the action of taking a penalty kick, the designated player must only take one step before striking the ball.

Disciplinary sanctions

In EAWF-organised sessions and tournaments, depend on the nature of the offence, the blue card, the yellow card, and the red card are the disciplinary sanctions for use.

Temporary timed suspensions

The use of a blue card indicates a temporary, timed suspension from play (“sin bin”). A blue card offence should always be accompanied by a suspension from play of at least two minutes in duration. The release of players from a temporary suspension should be at the direction of the Referee or a Match Official if one is available.

A player is shown a blue card (and temporarily suspended from play) if he/she commits any of the following offences:

  1. If a player, including the goalkeeper, is penalised on three occasions for infringing ‘Free kicks, point 1’
  2. Is guilty of unsporting behaviour
  3. Shows dissent by word or action
  4. Persistently infringes the laws of the game
  5. The goalkeeper when not making a save does not walk and then denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity

Warning offences

The yellow warning card is issued for offences traditionally regarded as cautionable offences. A player is shown a yellow card if he/she commits any of the following offences:

  1. Delays the restart of play
  2. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, kick-in, free kick, or roll-in
  3. Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission or infringes the substitution procedure
  4. Deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission

Sending-off offences

A player is shown the red card and excluded from the remainder of the match if he/she commits any of the following offences:

  1. Is guilty of serious foul play
  2. Is guilty of violent conduct
  3. Spits at or bites an opponent, or any other person attending the session/tournament
  4. Infringes the laws of the game to deny the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO); this does not apply to a goalkeeper within the penalty area
  5. Uses offensive, insulting, or abusive language
  6. Receives a second blue card in the same match
  7. Receives a second yellow card in the same match

Please note that all the Referee’s decisions are final, and there is no appeals procedure.

Please study these laws, familiarise yourself with them and strive to abide by them.

Tournaments

The above laws will apply to all tournaments organised by EAWF.

The two other main tournaments we contest in Vilamoura and Albufeira may play to slightly different laws/rules, but we are not responsible for their organisation. Players selected for these tournaments will be made aware of the corresponding laws/rules in advance once EAWF has received them.