Offside!

Most ardent football fans would be completely unable to recall the circumstances through which they came to learn the 'offside' rule of football - it's just something they've known all their lives. Indeed, they will be even less able to accurately articulate the rule, but so great is their confidence in the sense of intrinsic understanding that exudes magically from every pore of their body that they can rest assured that their knowledge - or lack of - will remain unchallenged. Newcomers to the game, however, remain forever vulnerable to attack with the question: "what is 'offside'?"

Anyone unable to resist attempting a bona fide explanation should remember the vital key: 'offside' cannot be described in a single sentence. At least four sentences are required as minimum - probably making use of two semi-colons and a colon - and that's without mentioning where the assistant referee's flag should go.

The standard textbook solution is as follows:

FIFA Laws Of The Game (July 2007)
XI - Offside

Offside Position

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
A player is in an offside position if:

• he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.

A player is not in an offside position if:

• he is in his own half of the field of play; or
• he is level with the second last opponent; or
• he is level with the last two opponents

Offence

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:

• interfering with play; or
• interfering with an opponent; or
• gaining an advantage by being in that position

No Offence

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:

• a goal kick; or
• a throw-in; or
• a corner kick

Infringements/Sanctions

For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.

Decisions of the International F.A. Board (July 2007)

Decision 1

In the definition of offside position, "nearer to his opponents' goal line" means that any part of his head, body or feet is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. The arms are not included in this definition.

Decision 2

The definitions of elements of involvement in active play are as follows:

• Interfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate.
• Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent.
• Gaining an advantage by being in that position means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a post or the crossbar having been in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position.

FIFA Laws Of The Game, Questions and Answers (2004)
XI - Offside

1. A player moving quickly towards his opponent's goal is penalised for an offside offence. From what position is the resulting indirect free kick taken?

   The kick is taken from his position when the ball was last played to him by one of his team-mates.

2. Does a referee penalise a player who is in an offside position and moves off the field of play to show the referee that he is not involved in active play?

   No. It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position and there is no need for the player to leave the field of play. However, if the referee considers that he has left the field for tactical reasons and has gained an unfair advantage by re-entering the field of play, the player should be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.

3. A defending player moves beyond his own goal line in order to place an opponent in an offside position. What action does the referee take?

   The referee allows play to continue and cautions the defender for unsporting behaviour when the ball is next out of play.

4. An attacking player's movement takes him between the goal posts into the goal net and at the same time, a team-mate kicks the ball into the goal. What action does the referee take if

   1. The player who is between the goal posts remains stationary as the ball enters?

      No action should be taken. A goal is awarded.

   2. The actions of the player distract an opponent?

      The goal is disallowed and the player is cautioned for unsporting behaviour.
      Since the offence was committed off the field of play, play is restarted with a dropped ball at the place where it was located when play was stopped.

5. Is a team-mate allowed to stand in an offside position when a penalty kick is being taken?

   No. Players must be behind the penalty mark.

6. A player plays a corner to a team-mate. The team-mate touches the ball and the player who took the corner kick runs from an offside position and plays the ball once again. Should this player be penalised?

   Yes, he is penalised for offside. When the player who took the kick receives the ball from his team-mate, he is in an offside position and he is interfering with play.

7. Player A plays the ball to a team-mate B in an onside position, although there is another attacker C in an offside position. Play continues, and afterwards, in the next phase of play, player B sends the ball to player C, who now is in an onside position. He scores a goal. What action does the referee take?

   The referee awards the goal; because when player C received the ball he was in an onside position. He would not be penalised for being in an offside position in the first phase since he was not involved in active play.

8. The ball is played to a player in an offside position by a team-mate, but a defending player touches it deliberately with his hand. What action does the referee take?

   If, in the opinion of the referee, the player in the offside position should be penalised for being in an offside position, he will award offside and restart the match with an indirect free kick.
   However, if in the referee's opinion, the player should not be penalised for being in an offside position, a direct free kick, or a penalty kick, will be awarded against the player who handled the ball.

9. A player in an offside position but not interfering with any opponent runs towards the ball played by a team-mate. Must the referee wait until he touches the ball to penalise him?

   No, the referee may penalise him if there is no other team-mate (in an onside position) who can play the ball.
   If there are other team-mates (in an onside position) who can get the ball, the referee must wait and see if the player in an offside position finally interferes with play by touching the ball.

Offside, as summarised by Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA President, 28th July 2004:

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. However a player will be ruled offside if they are nearer to their opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. They cannot, however, be offside if they are in their own half of the field; level with the second last opponent or level with the last two opponents.

And a player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved by: interfering with play; interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in that position.