Question Number: 27109

Law 11 - Offside 1/14/2013

RE: Select Under 12

Troy reed of Lewis center, Ohio United States asks...

If two attacking players are past the last defender and the ball is passed from one attacking player forward to the other attacking player would this be offside? Would it matter if the ball was passed sideways or backwards to there teammate?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Ref Reed, like a lot of other people you've forgotten the first condition for being in an offside position: closer to the goal line than the ball. You haven't told us that key fact, so we can't say whether the play you describe is offside or not. What we can tell you is that it is immaterial whether the ball goes forward or backward when it is passed. All we need to know is if the second player was ahead of or behind the ball at the time of the pass. If the attacker was closer to the goal line than the ball at the time the ball was last touched by his teammate, then he was in an offside position and will be called for that if he becomes involved in play by touching the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Offside applies as normal at all times in the attacking half of the field. Some coaches believe the myth that once defenders are not present in the half of the field of play or that attackers get past the 2nd last defender that offside consideration suddenly disappears. Absolutely not true.
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. Just because attackers are beyond the 2nd last opponent does not exonerate them from offside consideration and the players must stay in an onside position to participate in play. The only possible way to stay onside in that scenario is by staying level with or behind the ball.
In the scenario you describe offside will be called if the player is ahead of the ball when it is played to him. Generally in these situations the ball is played forward and as the player was ahead of the ball at that moment ( nearer the goal line than BOTH the ball and the second-last opponent) he will be called offside when he interferes with play.
A mistake that very many make about offside is that it is assumed the ball must be played forward for offside to be considered. There is no mention of the direction of the play of the ball in Law 11 and one could have the situation of the ball being played backwards and a player in an offside position when the ball was played moves back to interfere with play. Most times though if the ball is played sideways or behind it is to a player who is behind or level with the ball and that is not offside.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You should remember that in order for a player to be in an offside position he must be closer to the opposing goal line than BOTH the next to last opponent AND the ball (and be in the attacking half and there is no offside offense if the ball is received directly from a corner kick, goal kick, or throw in regardless of position). So, if the player receiving the pass is even with or behind the ball when it is played, there can be no offside as this player is not in an offside position at the moment the ball was played.