Question Number: 35927

Law 11 - Offside 6/11/2025

RE: Rec Adult

Bob Williamson of Mesa, AZ United States asks...

As per the "I am a", if it was "I was a" then I would be all of the above.
11.1 states "any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents half". 11.4 states "If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick where the offence occurred, including if it is in the players own half of the field of play." How can this be in the offences own half of the field?

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Bob, this can be so because of the unique nature of the offside law. Unlike other offences, offside involves events at two distinct times and in many cases, in two distinct locations. Those two separate events are a) being in an offside position, and b) committing an offside offence.

The wording in section 11.1 that you quote is in a part of the law that defines when a player is in an offside position, whereas 11.4 defines where the IFK takes place after an offside offence occurs.

The critical factor to bear in mind here, is that being in an offside position does not mean an offside offence has occurred. In fact, the the very first sentence of law 11 tells us this, in the following terms:

"It is not an offence to be in an offside position."

So in between the time when the player was in an offside position and the time the player commits an offside offence the player can (and usually does) move to a different location.

The classic scenario - which leads to the apparent paradox you have highlighted - is when a player is in an offside position (and therefore must necessarily be in the opponent's half of the field) but then comes back into their own half before playing the ball or interfering with an opponent.

If it is only after coming back into their own half, that the player commits an offside offence, and given that the IFK is taken from where the offence actually occurred, that IFK then takes place in the player's own half of the field.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
Thanks for the question.
IFAB the law making body wanted to have uniformity across all the Laws in that all free kicks should be taken from the LOCATION of the offence.
Law 11 Offside is a two part offence. Offside location is only one part and the offence is only committed when the player in an offside position interferes with play by touching the ball or interferes with an opponent such as a challenge.
Before the law change the IDFK was taken from the location of the player in an offside position rather than from the location of the actual offence. Most times there is little difference in location yet in situations where a player says comes back from an offside position to interfere with play or an opponent in his own half half the IDFK is taken from the location of the offence that is in his own half.
Many in the game struggle with the change as I still see IDFKs taken well away from the location of the actual offence yet rather from the offside position.
I saw one recently in an international game and the IDFK was taken at the half way in the defenders half rather than some 5 yards further on in the other half.
Not a big deal yet that is what is mandated in Law 11.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 35930