Question Number: 22517

Law 11 - Offside 11/14/2009

RE: Rec, Select Under 15

Kristin Love of Pittsburgh, PA USA asks...

When a player in offside postition becomes involved in active play, where's the restart?

In the past, I had understood the rule to be where the player was first judged to be in offside position. (2005 clarification)

But in the 2008-2009 FIFA rules it says
When an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free
kick to be taken from the position of the offending player when the ball was last played to him by one of his team-mates.

Do they mean where he touches it? Or where he was when the teammate started the play?

This could be a huge difference if the defenders had been on the 40 yard line and the offside player doesn't touch it until inside the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The restart is not where the player in offside position is judged to become involved in play (including where he touches the ball). The restart is where the player in offside position was originally located when the ball was touched or played by the teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Love
Referee Wickham is correct. The IDFK is taken from where the player, in an offside position, was located when the ball was played/touched by the teammate. In a 'Wait and See' flag situation if the player, in an offside position, did not touch the ball until say 20 yards away from the initial offside position, the IDFK is brought back the 20 yards to where the player was when the ball was played by the teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

'To be taken from the position of the offending player when the ball was last played to him by one of his team-mates' is pretty clear. I suspect you ask because not enough referees and ARs put the ball where it belongs on the restart, which creates so much confusion.

If the offside positioned player was just inside the attacking half at the center circle when his teammate kicks the ball up and over his head, he runs onto the ball and kicks it, we signal for offside (flag up), and when the referee blows the whistle, we move back upfield to that location just inside the attacking half by the center circle, and give either the far, the center or the near indication with the flag. Takes courage and conviction, but it is the right thing to do.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 22542