Question Number: 25296

Law 11 - Offside 8/10/2011

RE: Under 16

Janice of Buckeye, AZ USA asks...

Defender leaves the field of play, Players a passes ball to player b, Is b offsides

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

When a defender steps off the field, that defender is still considered in deciding offside position. (The defender is treated as if she was still at the spot where the she exited the field of play).

But, in the rarer case where the referee gives permission for the defender to leave the field of play (to receive treatment, fix equipment, etc.), the defender off the field is not considered in determining offside position. (Of course, in those circumstances, the defender cannot return to the field without again receiving the referee's permission).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Janice
When considering offside the referee will take into account the position of all defenders including those off the field of play as part of normal play. Stepping off the field of play as part of normal play say when challenging for the ball, running past an opponent is not an offence. The only time that the defender is not taken into consideration is when he/she is off the field of play with permission such as in the treatment to an injury etc
If the defender goes off behind the goal line he/she is placed on the goal line in determining offside.
Also any defending player leaving the field of play for any reason without the referee's permission shall be considered to be on his own goal line or touch line for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play. If the player leaves the field of play deliberately for instance to try to place an opponent in an offside position , the referee must caution that player for unsporting behaviour when the ball is next out of play.