Offside

A player is in offside position if any part of their body that can play the ball is closer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball AND the second-last opponent.

Being in an offside position is not an offence in itself. The offence (offside) requires the player to actively engage with play.

Being in an offside position is not an offence by itself — it only becomes one once the player becomes 'active' in the play.

In typical play, the goalkeeper is the last opponent and the last outfield defender is the second-last. So practically, an attacker is offside if past the last outfield defender (with the goalkeeper on the goal line).

A defender's deliberate play — real control, not just a touch — resets offside for any attacker who was previously in an offside position.

A deliberate save is when a player (usually the goalkeeper) deliberately stops a ball going into the goal. A rebound from a save still triggers offside if collected by an offside-position attacker.

Interfering with an opponent includes clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's vision, challenging an opponent for the ball, or making an obvious action which clearly impacts an opponent's ability to play.

Gaining an advantage means playing a ball that has rebounded — from the goal-frame, an opponent (after deliberate save or any deflection following a deliberate save), or another offside player.

For offside, only body parts that can legally play the ball are considered. Arms above the bottom of the armpit are excluded — same boundary as for handball.

Being exactly level with the second-last opponent does not satisfy 'nearer than' — so it is not an offside position.

At least two opponents must be between the attacker and the goal line — typically the goalkeeper and one outfield defender. The current 'two opponents' rule has been in place since 1925.

Offside is not called when the ball is received directly from a throw-in, a goal kick, or a corner kick.

Offside can only be called when the player is in the opponents' half of the pitch. A player in their own half cannot be offside.

For a goalkeeper's throw, the 2025/26 Laws use the last point of contact — when the ball leaves their hand — rather than the usual first point of contact.

An offside offence results in an INDIRECT free kick to the defending team, taken from where the offside-positioned player was when their teammate played the ball.

The offside rule moved from no restriction (1863), to a 3-opponent requirement (1866), to the modern 2-opponent version (1925).

The 'three opponents' rule applied from 1866 to 1925, when it was reduced to two. Goals per game roughly doubled in the seasons after.

For offside, the same body-part boundary as for handball applies: only body parts below the bottom of the armpit count.

Practically, the goalkeeper is on or near the goal line and the last outfield defender plays the role of second-last opponent.

Offside is judged at the instant the ball is played by a teammate, not at the moment the attacker later touches it.

Assistant referees patrol the touchlines and are positioned to judge the second-last opponent's line. They flag for offside; the referee makes the final decision.

VAR can only review offside in the build-up to a goal, penalty, or direct red card — not every offside in the match.

The referee judges deliberate play, considering criteria like whether the defender had time, control, and chose to play the ball. VAR may advise via standard protocol.

The offside line is set by the second-last opponent — usually the last outfield defender, not the goalkeeper.

The referee judges whether an offside-position player has gained advantage from a rebound — from the goal-frame, an opponent, or a deliberate save.

The assistant referee signals offside by raising the flag perpendicular. The referee then blows the whistle to stop play and award the indirect free kick.

If the assistant flags but the referee judges advantage (e.g., defending team has the ball clear), the referee can wave play on.

The referee judges whether interference occurred — based on the offside player's actions, vision-blocking, or actions that affect an opponent.

Assistant referees position themselves to be level with the second-last opponent, giving them the best line of sight for offside.

Semi-automated offside technology tracks players and the ball, calculates the line, and is checked by VAR before the referee is told.

Offside is not applied when a player receives the ball directly from a throw-in. This dates back to the original Law 11.

Receiving the ball directly from a goal kick is exempt from offside.

A player cannot be offside directly from a corner kick. The exemption covers the initial pass; subsequent play follows normal offside rules.

Free kicks (direct or indirect) are subject to offside. Players must be onside when the kick is taken.

A player in their own half is automatically onside, regardless of how many opponents are between them and the goal line.

Level with the second-last opponent counts as onside — the attacker must be nearer to the goal line, not just level.

Running back onside afterwards does not undo an offside position judged at the moment the ball was played.

A defender's deliberate play, even a clearance, resets an attacker's offside position.

A deliberate save does NOT count as deliberate play. The offside player remains offside if they play the rebounded ball.

Even if the player is in possession or dribbling, the moment a teammate plays the ball is the only one that matters for offside judgement.

Offside is punished by an indirect free kick to the defending team, taken from where the offside-positioned player engaged in play.

The offside restart is taken from where the offside player was when their teammate played the ball, not from where the ball was played.

Offside is purely a positional offence — no card is issued. Only the indirect free kick is awarded.

If an offside-positioned player interferes with an opponent (e.g., obstructs goalkeeper's vision), the goal is disallowed regardless of who scored.

An offside position alone is not an offence — if the player is fouled before becoming active, the foul is punished normally.

If the defending team already has the ball, advantage is applied — no need to stop play. The offside flag is waved off.

An offside found anywhere in the build-up to a goal disallows the goal, restarting with an indirect free kick to the defending team.

A deflection is not 'deliberate play'. The offside-positioned attacker who plays the deflected ball is still offside.

VAR can review back through the attacking phase of play if an offside led to a goal — even if play continued for some time.

From 2025/26, IFAB clarified: on goalkeeper throws, offside is judged from the LAST point of contact (i.e., when the ball leaves the hand) — for clearer/consistent reference.

The 1863 FA rules treated football like rugby — any forward pass to a player ahead of the kicker was offside. This effectively prevented all forward passing.

The offside rule's landmarks run: no rule (1863), 3 opponents (1866), 2 opponents (1925), and automated tracking (2022).

The rule requiring only 2 opponents (rather than 3) between the attacker and the goal line was introduced in 1925.

IFAB clarified 'active offside' interpretations in 2005, focusing on engaging in play (interference, gaining advantage) rather than mere position.

Offside interpretation was refined step by step: active offside (2005), body-position criteria (2019), deliberate play vs deflection (2023), and goalkeeper throws (2025/26).

For the 2025/26 season, IFAB added that offside on goalkeeper throws is judged from the LAST point of contact, for consistency.

In England's 1925-26 season, goals per game went from about 2.6 to over 3.6 — a near-doubling, reflecting how restrictive the old offside had been.

The FA introduced the three-opponent rule in 1866. FIFA and UEFA did not exist yet — these are governing bodies founded later.

Semi-automated offside technology debuted at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, providing pixel-accurate offside lines.

The 'daylight rule' interpretation, requiring visible space between attacker and defender, was effectively replaced as IFAB clarified that level = onside in modern guidance.

A player off the pitch is treated as being on the goal line for offside purposes, so they can still be offside.

The referee counts as part of the pitch — a deflection off them does not reset or cancel an offside position from the initial pass.

IFAB confirms that deliberate handball by a defender counts as deliberate play, resetting the offside chain.

A simple deflection (not deliberate play with control) does not reset offside. The offside-positioned attacker is still penalised.

A save (deliberate or otherwise) does not reset offside — the rebound from a save is still subject to the original offside.

Past the goalkeeper but level with the last outfield defender = level with second-last opponent overall = onside.

A rebound off the goal frame is not deliberate play by a defender, so an offside-position attacker who benefits from it is still offside.

Whether a lunging defender's touch cancels offside depends entirely on whether they had genuine control — a mere deflection does not reset it.

A save followed by the ball hitting the offside-positioned player meets 'gaining advantage' criteria — offside is called.

A player playing the ball themselves cannot be 'offside' from their own pass — offside is judged from the moment a teammate plays the ball, with the attacker as receiver.

Rugby offside requires being behind the ball carrier or last team-mate. Football allows forward passes provided receivers are onside (level with second-last opponent).

Ice hockey: the puck must precede attackers into the attacking zone (blue line). Football: judged at the moment of the pass relative to second-last opponent.

Field hockey abolished offside in 1996 (FIH rule change). Football retains offside — though some grassroots variants relax it.

Unlike other plays, judged from the first point of contact, a goalkeeper's throw is judged from the last point of contact — when the ball leaves their hand.

Control with time to play the ball resets offside (deliberate play); a bare deflection with no control does not.

Both are forms of 'becoming active offside' — but they're different categories. Interfering involves an opponent; gaining advantage involves rebounds from goal-frame, opponent, or save.

The 1925 change is widely seen as the most impactful single rule change for goalscoring in football history.

Offside applies on free kicks but is one of the three restarts (with throw-ins and goal kicks) exempt from offside on corner kicks.

Both Law 11 (offside) and Law 12 (handball) use the same boundary: the bottom of the armpit. Body parts above this line don't count for either.

Football's Law 11 specifically exempts throw-ins. Futsal uses kick-ins (no throws); these are similarly treated as restart exemptions.

An attacker ahead of the second-last defender when the ball is played, who then scores, is offside and the goal is disallowed.

Being level with the second-last opponent is onside. Goal stands.

Rebound from the goal-frame is gaining advantage. Goal disallowed; indirect free kick to defending team.

Position is judged ONLY at the moment the ball is played. Earlier positions don't matter.

A mishit clearance is still deliberate play if the defender had genuine control — it resets the attacker's offside position.

Corner kicks are exempt from offside. The attacker may stand anywhere and play the ball directly.

Blocking the goalkeeper's vision counts as interfering with an opponent — even without contact. Goal disallowed.

Players in their own half are automatically onside, regardless of opponent positioning.

Being in offside position is not an offence — only engaging in play. If the offside-positioned player didn't interfere or play the ball, the teammate's goal counts.

Under 2025/26 Laws, the striker's position at the moment the goalkeeper released the throw is what's judged, regardless of where they are when the ball arrives.

Offside is NOT just position — the player must become 'active' by playing the ball, interfering, or gaining advantage.

Offside results in an indirect free kick to the defending team, taken from where the offside-positioned player was when the ball was played.

The three exempt restarts are throw-in, goal kick, and corner kick.

In 1925, IFAB reduced the requirement from three opponents to two — the rule that has applied ever since.

Position is fixed at the moment the teammate plays the ball — not later.

Level with the second-last opponent is onside. Ties favour the attacker.

Only body parts that can legally play the ball matter for offside — arms above the bottom of the armpit are excluded.

Offside can only be called when the player is in the opponents' half of the pitch.

A deliberate save does NOT count as deliberate play — offside still applies to a player who plays the rebound.

Semi-automated offside technology (using player-tracking cameras) was first used at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.