Question Number: 25742

Law 11 - Offside 11/13/2011

RE: College

Bob of Grasonville, Md USA asks...

Player takes a corner kick. Ball bounces off a defender and back to the player who kicked the corner kick. The kicking player is now in the offside position (standing at the end line) but the ball has not changed possession. Is the player offside? AR did not call offside.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
This cannot be offside and a correct call by the AR. The ball was last played by a defending player not by a team mate. The last attacking player to touch the ball was the kicker so in effect the ball has been played to himself via an opponent which can never be offside. A team mate must be involved in the touch for offside to be considered. No player can be offside directly from a corner kick, throw in or goal kick.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The player is not offside.

First, on a corner kick every player is initially eligible to play the ball (regardless of position). The exception for corner kicks ends, and offside position will be considered again after another member of the kicking team touches the ball.

Second, even during regular play, the original kicker cannot be offside because offside position is judged only when a teammate touches the ball. No teammate has yet done so.