Question Number: 24957

Law 11 - Offside 5/16/2011

RE: Select (AYSO) Under 14

Monika Maytum of Clayton, CA United States asks...

Penalty kick: Kicker kicks the ball, goalie stops the ball, but goes back into play. The kicker then kicks it into the goal. Does the offside rule apply?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Monika
Offside does not apply at a penalty kick as all the kicker's team mates must be behind the ball before the kick is taken. Also a player cannot be considered offside if he receives the ball from an opponent. The only exception to that is when the ball is received from a deflection/rebound off an opponent when the ball was last played by a team mate. On a penalty kick rebound the last attacker to play the ball is the penalty taker so he cannot be offside as he has not recieved the ball from a team mate.
If the ball rebounds off the frame of the goal the penalty taker may not touch the ball until it has been touched by another player. Otherwise a double touch infringemnt would be called.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The offside rule applies, however proper application of that rule (Law 11) indicates that there can be no offside to be called.

The player taking the penalty kick is not offside in this situation because she did not receive the ball from a teammate.

No teammate of the penalty kick taker could be called offside either, because all of them should have been in onside positions before the referee allowed the PK to be taken.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The kicker can not be offside in your example, for many reasons. Offside requires more than being closer to the opponent's goal line than the second last defender.

- It requires that a player be in offside position WHEN the ball was last touched by a teammate. In your example, no teammate has yet touched the ball.

- To be in offside position, a player also must be closer to the opponent's goal line than the ball. At a penalty kick, every player (other than the keeper) must even with or behind the ball.

After the penalty kick is taken and missed, the ball is live and the referee must judge offside position each time a player touches the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

While Law 11 Offside 'applies' in the context it is not intentionally ignored as dictated in the Laws for a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in, it cannot, however, take place at a penalty kick because when the players are lined up, no one can be in an offside position by definition.

But let's look at your scenario and instead of a penalty kick, let's say it takes place during active play. There still can be no offside. Why? By definition, offside is judged at the moment the ball is played by a teammate. No teammate played the ball. You cannot be offside on yourself or put another way, a player can never be offside if he plays the ball. Once the ball touches another teammate, offside is judged again and when the player plays the ball all of his teammates potentially could be offside but never him.

Just remember to judge offside only when the ball is played by a teammate.