Question Number: 27041

Law 11 - Offside 11/27/2012

RE: Under 19

Dave of Des Moines, IA US asks...

From the ATR:
'The lines belong to the areas of which they are the boundaries.'
How does this relate to the center line for off-side consideration?
Example-attacker is in his own half, closer to the opponents goal then the ball and any of the opponents beside the keeper.
If only the attacker's toe (used for example) is touching the center line, is he/she considered to be in OS position?
Or does that toe (again used for example) have to be across the 5' center line to be considered OSP?
In other words, to which side of the field does the center line belong?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dave
An interesting question. For the purposes of offside FIFA has determined that the player must be over the half way line to be considered for offside. So the foot must be touching the 'green' over the line or plane of the edge of the line closest to the opponents goal line to be in the opponents half. If the foot is on the white then that is not in the opponents' half.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The half line ends up being part of both halves. And since a player is not in an offside position in his own half, on the line is OK. Across the line is not.

Don't rely on a referee or AR seeing that toe across the line, especially at game speed.