Question Number: 23407

Law 17 - Corner Kick 6/1/2010

RE: Rec Adult

Robert of St. Charles, Mo USA asks...

I and told that there is no off-side on a corner kick.
Why is this so? Once the ball is in the air, it logically loses any privileged status. If I am wrong, then when does the off-side rule become instantly operable?...when the ball is in the air; touched; or......

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

A player cannot be offside DIRECTLY from a corner kick (or a goal kick or throw in).

I'm not sure of the rationale for this; perhaps it's because deciding upon an offside infringement would be extremely difficult as there's only a very, very small part of the field where an attacking player can be in front of the ball - and that's only assuming the ball isn't touching the goal line (as it often is).

Anyway, the moment offside can become a consideration is when any player touches the ball after it's been put into play. Typically, as soon as the first attacker touches the ball after it's been put into play, we can start thinking about what players are in an offside position after this player has touches it; the first player to touch the ball after it's been put into play can't be guilty of offside, but any player after that can because by now play has reverted to normal, and offside applies like any other moment in the match.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

At a corner kick, the ball is placed on or near to the goal line. For practical purposes it is assumed to be on the goal line, and thus no player can be closer to the goal line than the ball. If no player is in an offside position, there can be no offside. I presume they wrote the exemption into the Laws so refs wouldn't have to worry about those few inches of the field if the ball was not on the line.

Once the ball is touched by a second player following the corner kick, offside considerations again apply.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Why? Because the Laws of the Game state specifically that a player cannot be called for offside if they receive the ball directly (no other player has touched it besides the kicker) from a corner kick.

It doesn't matter what the referees, players or fans think of it - we all have to play by the Laws as written.

From the corner kick, the AR will be watching to see who gets the first touch on the ball. At that moment he is then noting which players are in an offside position (not counting the one who might have received it directly from the corner kick), and is prepared to make an offside call should a player in an offside position get involved in play.

After the first touch by an attacker, or if a defender controls the ball, offside is instantly operable, and the AR will be ready to make the call should an attacking player in an offside position involve themselves in play.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If a player in offside position receives the ball directly from a teammate at a corner kick, goal kick, or throw-in, he may not be penalized for committing an offside infraction. Why? Because that's what Law 11 says. How long does this allowance stay in effect? Until the ball is touched by any player from either team or goes out of play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Robert
The answer lies in the history of the game. The Laws have been around for over 150 years and the current offside Law 11 has been amended many times over a century. At one time all the players on a team had to be behind the ball so as not to be offside. At a goalkick that was not practically possible so that restart was excluded, at a throw in the ball at one time could not be thrown forward but straight in from the touchline with all the player behind the ball hence its exclusion. At a corner all the attacking players are behind the ball so again it was not possible to be offside which is why it was excluded. Should that now be changed? Probably it could be but IFAB the lawmakers are very reluctant to change Laws which are part of the tradition of the game. So we go with what we have and a player cannot be offside directly from a throw in, goal kick or corner kick.

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