Question Number: 23420

Law 11 - Offside 6/4/2010

Joshua Beauford of Mulberry, AR USA asks...

How does someone become offsides?
Why does the goalie wear different colored jerseys than the team?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Every team has to have a goalkeeper. Goalkeepers have special privileges within their own penalty area, and the referee and other players need to be able to tell which one is the keeper, so she is required to wear colors different from her teammates, the other team and the other goalkeeper. She should also wear a color different from the referee team.

As for offside (there is no 's' on the word in this game), it is a simple formula. A player cannot be in an offside position in their own half of the field, so they cannot be offside there either. They cannot be called for offside if they receive the ball directly from a corner kick, throw-in or goal kick. When they are in the attacking half of the field, they must be further away from the goal line than the last two defenders and the ball.

If they are closer than the last two defenders and the ball, they are in an offside position. But it is not an offense to be in an offside position. It only becomes an offense when the player who is in the offside position becomes involved in play. So there is the formula: position (in an offside position) + involvement (this is for the referee to determine) = offside.

This is signaled by the assistant referee raising her flag straight up and holding it there. If the referee agrees, the whistle sounds and an indirect free kick is awarded to the other team from where the offending player was when the ball was last touched by his teammate.

There is an excellent article on this site by our beloved former editor which explains the offside Law as thoroughly as you could want.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

There is an excellent article on offside on our main page written by our dear friend and former editor, Chuck Fleischer. It explains everything you need to know about Law 11, Offside.

The keeper has to be readily and easily recognizable from all other players as he/she has special privileges inside the penalty area.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joshua
In addition to the excellent article on this site by Chuck Fleischer there is also an Interactive Guide to Law 11 on the FIFA site @
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html