Question Number: 22724

Law 11 - Offside 1/15/2010

RE: Under 10

Donna of Coquitlam, Canada asks...

Is offside called for U10 level of players. I know we don't call offside for U8 & U9 but was wondering at what level offside is called.
Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Donna
It depend entirely on the competition rules set by the organising body so you need to check with the relevant person in your area. In general offside is not part of Under 10s due to the nature of the Law and indeed how U 10s play the game but that's not to say that it can't be included.
Any Under 10 game that I have officiated on did not have offside and matches are always played as small sided games on small pitches with small goals.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

If we are 11 aside regulation field then in my opinion all the laws should be in force unless the competition authortities have stated there are exceptions! Generally U-12 is the normal stages for 11 aside soccer to begin with all laws in effect!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Tom Stagliano

In Massachusetts, through U10, the kids play 6v6 soccer. With those small-sided games, there are no offside infractions called. (However, there are limitations on how far a goal kick or goalie punt/throw can go before touching a player or the ground.)

Then at the U11/U12 age group, they switch to 8v8 and introduce offside infractions.

Finally, by U13/U14 the kids play full 11v11 soccer, and almost invariably, if it is 11v11, offside infractions are called.

More and more areas are trying to bring the kids along 'slowly' and work on skills and team play, by going from 6v6 to 8v8 to 11v11.

But, as Referee McHugh stated, it depends on the local rules of your league.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

As noted by my colleagues, this is a local modification. USYS has some recommendations, but does not (yet) mandate that all leagues adopt the same rules.

In our local recreational league, we call offside for U8's and above. But we note in the rules that it has to be obvious enough for the lone center referee to see it.

But in the regional U10 select league, offside is not enforced. This encourages teams to 'cherry-pick' for long through balls, something that is difficult to change when they move up to U11.