Question Number: 24496

Law 11 - Offside 1/17/2011

RE: Select Under 19

Ali of Little Rock, AR USA asks...

My question is in regard to Offise and offise position: If an attcker team player (Red color) is in position then he is receiving the ball from other team player (Bule color) intentially or un intentially. Is this an offisde? I will say No because he/she did not receive the ball from his team mate. By the referee law the player must receive the ball from the team mate. Your thoughts please.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Offside position is considered at the time a teammate last touches/plays the ball. From that time on, the player caught in an offside position cannot be involved in play until one of the following happens:
-- his teammate touches the ball again; his offside position is reevaluated at that time
-- an opponent makes a controlled play on the ball, not just a rebound /deflection
-- the ball goes out of play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ali
You are indeed correct. Offside can only be considered if the player in an offside position receives the ball from a touch/play of the ball by a team mate.
The only caveat is that a deflection/rebound off an opponent from a ball played by a team mate does not reset offside.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Red team player in offside position (nearer the opposing goal than both the ball and the next to last opponent) directly receives the ball played by a Blue team player.

Offside doesn't apply as it only may happen when the ball is last touched or played by a teammate.