What counts as running, and what happens if I run?

Under Law 18 of The FA's Walking Football Laws (February 2025), walking means always having at least one foot in contact with the ground. It applies to every player moving anywhere on the pitch, with or without the ball. If both feet are off the ground at the same time, you're not walking.

• Goalkeeper exception: a goalkeeper may leave the ground with both feet while actually making a save, for example diving or jumping.
• Penalty: the referee gives the other team an indirect free kick against any player who isn't walking, unless the other team has a clear attacking opportunity, in which case the referee can play advantage and penalise the team once play stops (or if the advantage doesn't happen).
• Team count: not-walking offences are counted for each team. On a team's fourth not-walking offence, the opponents get a penalty kick, and the count goes back to zero.
• A penalty and blue card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity aren't added to the not-walking count.