Question Number: 23775

Law 11 - Offside 8/14/2010

RE: Fan Adult

Angela Degenhardt of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA USA asks...

What constitutes an offside. I have had two people explain it to me and I still don't get it.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Angela
I would refer you to the Advice give by our former editor Chuck Fleischer on this site. Chuck passed away a number of years ago but he has left this simple concise explanation of Law 11

http://www.asktheref.com/Soccer/Referee/Articles/6/

There is also an excellent resource on the FIFA site where is an interactiove guide to Law 11

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Chuck's article is excellent, and I second it.

The offside law temporarily makes an attacking player ineligible to participate in play. It has three parts. Whom, What, and When.

Whom: a player is in offside position if all of the following are true: the player is in the opposing half; is closer to the opponent's goal than the ball AND is closer than the second last defensive player.

What: it is not an offense to be in an offside position. The person only infringes the offside law when the player participates in play -- usually by touching the ball or by interfering with an opponent's ability to see or play the ball.

When: the player is judged to be in offside position when the ball is touched by a teammate - - not when the ball reaches the player The player in offside position remains unable to participate in play until the ball goes out of play, the ball is controlled by an opponent, OR the player is in an onside position the next time the ball is touched by a teammate. In addition, there is no offside infringement when the ball is received directly from a goal kick; throw-in, or corner kick.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It is not an offense to be in an offside position (closer to the opponents' goal line than the last two defenders - which includes the keeper - and the ball).

Offside requires position (offside position - see above) + involvement.

Involvement means the player in an offside position touches or is likely to touch the ball last played by a teammate, interferes with or distracts an opponent trying to play the ball, or gains an advantage by playing a ball which has rebounded or deflected off the goal or an opponent.

Simple, really.

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

See Question: 23793