Question Number: 24862

Law 11 - Offside 4/28/2011

RE: High School, Travel, Rec High School

Marc Parrish of Danville, VA USA asks...

Team A is attacking and has pushed all of it's players except the GK into Team B's half of the field. The rules state that a player can not be offside in his own half of the field, therefore a member of Team B could position himself behind the second last defender and not be offside. Is this correct? What if the same member of Team B crosses the mid line into Team A's half of the field while all of Team A (except the GK) is still in Team B's half? Is he now offside?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Let's go back to Law 11:

A player is in an offside position if:
- he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent
A player is not in an offside position if:
- he is in his own half of the field of play or
- he is level with the second-last opponent or
- he is level with the last two opponents

If a player is between the 2nd to last defender and the half line, he is not in an offside position because he is on his own half of the field. If he crosses the half line, he now is in an offside position.

And remember, before any offside call is made, there must be involvement in play.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Marc
There has been an offside misconception doing the round in respect of the situation where there are no opponents in the opponents' half of the field of play or perhaps only the GK and that offside somehow does not then apply. An attacking player if he is in that half of the field will be called offside when he interferes with play as he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. Some 'bright spark' concluded incorrectly that as the 2nd last opponent happens to be in the other half then offside did not apply. A player cannot be offside in his own half of the field of play so the player should not proceed beyond the half way line until the ball is played if he wishes to remain in an onside position in the situation where there are no opponents or perhaps only the GK in that half.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Someone in their own half when the ball is last touched by a teammate is never in offside position.

The location of the second last defender (and the ball) becomes relevant only if the player is in the opponent's half when the ball is touched or played by a teammate.

The 'when' matters. Offside position is judged when the teammate touches the ball, not when the player receives or plays it.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

It doesn't matter where any of Team A's players are if the Team B player is in is own half of the field when considering offside position. As you state, a player is not in offside position if in his own half of the field. Period.

If only the goalkeeper for Team A is in his own half of the field, then once a Team B player crosses the halfway line he is in an offside position unless the ball is in Team A's half of the field and nearer Team A's goal line than the Team B player.

Remember however, it is not an offense to be in an offside position. If in an offside position when the ball is played or touched by a teammate, a player may not become actively involved in play until offside resets.