Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Understand the offside rule
• Method 2 of 2: Exceptions and edge cases
• Tips
• Warnings

The offside rule, rule 11 in football, is probably one of the most misunderstood rules of all time, although it is one of the shortest of the seventeen football rules. The rule originates from the high schools of the 19th century, which created the rule to prevent a player from “sneaking” to the enemy target and standing there waiting for a pass. The offside rule has been changed several times to match the pace of the game, but the intent remains the same. Most recently, in 2005, FIFA amended the rule to prevent offside play for players who are not on the ball.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Understand the offside rule

1. Only check for offside on the opponent's half. A player can only be offside if he is on the opponent's half. The purpose of the offside rule is to prevent attackers from waiting too close to the goal.
   • If you are in half of your opponent and part of your head, body or legs is over the line, the offside will be called. Arms and hands do not count.
2. Watch the player's position in relation to the ball. A player can only be offside when he is between the ball and the opponent's goal.
3. Look at the two defenders closest to their goal. The attacker is not offside as long as there are at least two defenders on the same line as or in front of him. If there are no defenders between the attacker and the goal and the attacker meets the two conditions above, he is offside.
   • The goalkeeper is usually one of the two defenders closest to the goal, but any two defenders count here.
4. Only check for offside when a teammate touches the ball. Just being offside is not a mistake. The referee will check the position of an attacker only when one of his teammates touches the ball. From the moment the attacker passes, the offside positions of all teammates are “frozen”. Each player will be officially offside or not offside regardless of which direction they move. This only changes when the ball touches another team-mate (which means that offside must be “recalculated”) or when an opponent touches the ball (which eliminates all offside positions).
   • That's why you often see attackers sprinting past the defenders from the moment the ball leaves. Even if someone is past the defender when receiving the ball, it is considered non-offside if that player was behind the defenders when the ball took off.
5. Only expect an offside whistle when an offside player is involved in the game. An official can only blow a player offside when he or she is interfering with play or trying to take advantage of the offside position. A player can be penalized at this point until the opponents recapture the ball. Here are some examples of situations where the referee will whistle offside:
   • A teammate passes to a player who is offside.
   • A teammate kicks the ball, it bumps into a defender and thus reaches a player who is offside.
   • An offside player prevents a defender from reaching for the ball.
   • A teammate shoots on target and an offside player positions himself at the target in the hope of a rebound.
6. Look at the referee. When watching a match and you think there may be an offside whistle, look at the assistant referee. When he sees an offside player trying to disrupt the game, he will raise a flag. The referee may then blow his whistle to stop play and raise an arm to indicate that an indirect free kick has been awarded to the defending team. If the referee does not do this, he does not agree with the assistant referee and decides to reject his judgment.
   • When the referee blows his whistle, the assistant referee will lower his flag to a certain height to indicate which player was offside. Up to an angle of 45 ° for a player on the other side of the field, up to 90 ° for a player near midfield and up to 135 ° for a player on his side of the field.
7. Understand the punishment. Offside is penalized by an indirect free kick for the opponents. The free kick starts from the place where the foul was committed and the team that was penalized must back at least 9.15 meters until the ball has taken off.
   • If the foul occurred inside the penalty area, the attackers must remain outside the penalty area until the ball has left.
   • If the foul occurred inside the in-goal, the defenders may take the free kick from anywhere in the in-goal.

Method 2 of 2: Exceptions and edge cases

1. Know in which situations offside is impossible. A player cannot be called offside when receiving a ball directly from a throw-in, corner kick or goal kick. In these situations the ball has been out of play and all offside positions are reset.
2. Understand resetting offside. When the defending team recaptures the ball, the attackers' offside positions are reset. Any attacker who was just offside may now influence the game without making a mistake. However, there are some fringe cases where it is unclear whether this happened. The referee always has the final say, but these are the general guidelines:
   • If a defender accidentally deflects the ball or it bounces off the player, offside will not be reset. This includes an instinctive reaction to deflect the ball, although this is often a difficult decision for the referee.
   • If the defender makes a save to avoid a goal, offside is not reset. (This prevents the offside player from taking advantage of the situation by waiting at the goal)
   • The defender must recover the ball before the offside player can intervene. (This can be subjective, but the offside player is usually safe when approaching from a certain distance)
3. Be aware of defenders who have left the field. If a defender returns to the side of the field by his own momentum, he will still count as a defender for offside positions.
4. Determine if a player who is offside influences the game from a distance. An offside player who does not go for the ball can still make a foul if it obstructs a defender's view and thus impedes play. Since the rules were changed in 2013, this is the only way an offside player can be penalized without coming into contact with a defender or the ball. Gestures and calls do not affect the offside rule, but the player may be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Tips

• The offside rule applies to every player and is not limited to attackers.
• A common misconception about the offside rule is when the goalkeeper goes off his line and there is only one defender on the line. If an attacking player gets the ball behind the goalkeeper, he or she is offside. An example of this is Carlos Vela's disallowed goal for Mexico against South Africa at the 2010 World Cup.
• In small football matches between young children, a referee can choose not to whistle offside or to be less strict with the offside rule.
• The offside rule has already been revised several times in history with major consequences for the way the game is played.

Warnings

• Never argue with the referee. He will not revise a decision because you disagree.You will likely just annoy him, so there's a good chance he won't give you the benefit of the doubt later on.
• When attacking, watch out for the “offside trap” where the opponents pass the ball when it is played. It will be more difficult for the defenders to surprise you with this trap when you look at your own goal while waiting for a pass.