The offside rule explained: Everything you need to know 

Confusion around offside is frequent in soccer. If you’ve ever watched a game alongside a self-proclaimed football expert, this topic has probably come up once or twice. But what is offside, and can it be explained simply? The offside rule is much easier to understand than you might think. By the end of this guide, you’ll feel right at home with it. 

Watch: Explaining the offside rule 

What is the offside position? 

An attacking player is in an offside position when they are past the second-last opposition defender or player. This, however, does not mean that offside is a given and play is stopped. Simply being in an offside position is not a foul – the player must be in an offside position before another player passes the ball to them for it to count as an offense. 

According to current regulations, a player is in an offside position if: 

• Any part of their head, torso, or legs are in their opponent’s half. 
• Any part of their head, torso, or legs are closer to the opposing goal than the second-last opposition player (including the goalkeeper). 

Essentially, only body parts that you can legally score with are counted towards the offside rule. 

Important offside rules to remember 

Here are a few basic rules to remember when it comes to offsides in soccer:

• The whistle is blown for an offside offense only when the ball is played by a teammate. A player cannot be offside from a pass or deliberate touch by an opposition player. 
• An offside offense counts from the exact moment the ball is played, not from when the offside player receives it. 
• No distinction is made between the goalkeeper and the outfield players in the offside rule. 
• All eleven players count towards the offside rule, even if they are off the field or behind the goal (except if they have been sent off to receive medical treatment on the sidelines). 
• If a player is behind the ball line when the ball is played, they are not offside. 

When is offside given? 

An offside offense occurs when a player is in an offside position at the exact moment their teammate passes them the ball. If the player does not interfere with play, however, the game does not stop. Actively interfering with play occurs if a player: 

• Plays or touches the ball.
• Influences an opponent, such as in a challenge or by obstructing their view. 
• Makes an obvious attempt to play the ball or actively influence an opponent.
• Gains an advantage due to an offside position, such as playing the ball after it has rebounded off the post, crossbar, goalkeeper, opponent, or match official. This includes deliberate goalkeeper saves. 

Generally, the assistant referee is the one who notices an offside offense. They then raise their flag to signal the foul to the referee and an indirect free kick is given to the defending team from where the offside offense occurred. 

Since the introduction of the video assistant referee (VAR), it has become possible to detect offside offenses that weren’t noticed by the referee or their on-field assistants. VAR uses finely calibrated technology to make sense of even the most complicated offside situations, but it can only intervene if the offside offense leads to a goal.

When is offside not given? 

A player is not considered offside if they are not in a position between the last defending player and the goalkeeper. In other words, if any part of their body, including either their head, torso, or legs, in parallel with the last defending player when they receive the ball, it is not considered offside.

On top of this, a player cannot be offside if they are in their own half when their teammate kicks the ball. Certain situations like this do not trigger offsides in soccer. Examples include goal kicks, corners, and throw-ins – all scenarios for which players cannot be called offside. For any other play, such as free kicks, the offside rule is active. 

If a defending player leaves the field of play without permission, he is considered to be standing on the goal-line. This gives the attacking team an advantage, as it will likely cancel out the offside. If an attacking player leaves the pitch, on the other hand, the offside rule does not apply, provided they don’t re-enter the field of play during the same attack. 

Passive offside: A special exception 

Ever heard of a “passive offside”? It’s fairly common in soccer and is an exception to the offside rule. Sometimes, a player in an offside position is aware that if he interferes with play, a foul will be called. In this case, he can leave the ball for a teammate who was onside when the ball was played. As long as his teammate plays the ball before him, it does not count as offside. Essentially, a player is in a passive offside position when they are not interfering with play. 

Why is there an offside rule anyway? 

The fundamental idea behind the offside rule is to stop players from standing right next to the goal (known on the streets as “goal-hanging”). If it didn’t exist, players could simply punt long balls down to their attackers for easy goals. Preventing goal-hanging was a prominent factor in the formation of the offside rule, which dates back to the very early stages of the modern game. 

The offside rule has been included in the soccer rulebook since 1863. At that time, players could not pass the ball forward to a teammate. But with the introduction of the passing game and the reduced emphasis on dribbling, the offside rule became more relaxed. In 1866, the rule was changed to allow players to be onside if there were three or more players between them and the goal. 

Then, in 1925, the offside rule changed again. Players were onside if there were at least two players in the way of the attacker, just as the new rule states. Even then, players could not be offside in their own half or from a thrown-in. 

The new offside rule 

In 2022, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) updated the offside rule. Offside attackers can now be deemed onside if an opposition player touches or plays the ball in a controlled manner. Previously, the defending player had to play the ball very deliberately, but IFAB have now clarified that “deliberately” includes controlling the ball. Offside players will only become onside if a defender plays or controls the ball in a non-urgent, recognizable, and deliberate manner. 

The importance of offside as a strategy 

The offside rule is one of the most significant in soccer, not just for its history. Teams can use it to their advantage in certain tactics, making the most out of what the rule offers. For instance, the “offside trap” is where the last line of defenders quickly moves up as one just before the opposition plays the ball. This is used to leave opposition attackers clearly offside and thwart the attack, but it’s risky if poorly executed. 

Certain types of attackers relish these opportunities to get in behind the defense. They hang close to the last man, accepting that they might find themselves offside a lot of the time. Occasionally, however, they time their runs well and stay onside, leaving only the goalkeeper to beat. Former Bundesliga player Timo Werner is an excellent example of this type of player. During his time with RB Leipzig (and Chelsea of the English Premier League), he was caught offside a lot, but also scored a tremendous number of goals one-on-one with the goalkeeper.