Law 11
Offside
1
Objectives
At the end of this lesson the student
will:
• identify offside position
• state what constitutes involvement in
active play
• list the three restarts where there is no
offside offense
• apply a uniform interpretation of the
Offside Law in all situations
2
EXPLANATION
Offside refers to the English term for
a team - SIDE - thus…
When a player is in “offside”
position, they are “off their team” and
cannot participate in that play.
O-F-F-S-I-D-E
4
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
Position
– nearer to opponent’s goal line than the
ball and
– the second last opponent (last but one)
• Unless
– is in own half of the field
– is level (even) with second last opponent
– is level with the last two opponents
5
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
Timing
• at the moment the ball touches or is
played by one of their team
Opinion of the referee involved in active play
by:
– interfering with play
– interfering with an opponent
– gaining an advantage by being in that position
6
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
“TOUCHED”
or
“PLAYED BY”
have the same meaning as
“MADE CONTACT
WITH”
7
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
• There is no offside offense if a player
receives the ball directly from:
– a goal kick
– corner kick
– or a throw-in
8
AREA OF ACTIVE PLAY
Is that sector of the
field where players
actively participate
in that play
9
Determination of Offside
• Is the player in the attacking half?
• Is the player nearer the goal than the ball?
• Is the player nearer the goal than the
second last defender?
If yes to all of the above, then
• Is the player interfering with play or an
opponent?
• Is the player gaining an advantage?
IF yes to either above, then Offside,
otherwise no infraction
10
11.1 Status of Halfway Line
A player is in an offside position if:
• any part of the head, body or feet is
in the opponents’ half (excluding the
halfway line)
11
OFFSIDE POSITION?
12
INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?
13
POSITION & INVOLVEMENT?
14
AN INFRINGEMENT
The player in offside position has
played the ball
and has gained an advantage and
must be penalized for offside
15
OFFSIDE POSITION?
OFFSIDE
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Was RED 2 involved in active play?
• What is your decision?
16
Offside Position vs. Activity
Offside position alone is
not an infringement
Offside position and activity
is an infringement
17
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
• It is not an offense in itself to be in an
offside position
• Judgment of offside occurs at the moment
the ball is touched or played by a
teammate - not - when the player receives
the ball
18
OFFSIDE POSITION?
2
OFFSIDE
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Is RED 2 involved in active play?
• What is your decision?
19
OFFSIDE POSITION?
20
WHEN THE BALL WAS KICKED
21
WHERE WAS THE PLAYER?
22
NO INFRINGEMENT
Offside is judged at the moment the ball is played
to a teammate, not when it is received
23
OFFSIDE POSITION?
24
OFFSIDE POSITION?
NOT
OFFSIDE
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• How about when the ball was played?
• What is your decision?
25
TIMING?
26
WHAT IS YOUR DECISION?
27
NO INFRINGEMENT
The attacker is even and therefore Not offside
28
OFFSIDE POSITION?
NOT
OFFSIDE
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Is even OK?
• What is your decision?
29
What is Even?
The position of any part of the
player’s head, body or feet will
be the deciding factor, and not
the player’s arms.
30
11.2 Status of Players’ Arms
A player is in an offside position if:
• any part of the head, body or feet is
nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both
the ball and the second-last opponent. The
hands and arms of all players, including the
goalkeepers, are not included.
Explanation
Clarifies that the hands and arms of the defenders,
attackers and goalkeepers are not included when judging
offside.
31
Is This Even?
32
Absolutely!
Not Offside
33
Is This Even?
34
No!
Offside
35
OFFSIDE POSITION?
36
WHAT IS YOUR DECISION?
37
AR POSITIONING IS CRITICAL
If the AR thinks he is even
then he really is even!
38
NO INFRINGEMENT
The attacker is even and therefore Not offside
39
AR POSITIONING
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Can the AR make a correct decision
from this position?
40
AR POSITIONING
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Can the AR make a correct decision
from this position?
41
AR POSITIONING
NOT
OFFSIDE
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• What is your decision?
42
OFFSIDE POSITION?
9 makes a pass and runs
to space
43
WHAT ABOUT NOW?
10 makes a pass AFTER 9
runs to the new position
44
THE GIVE AND GO
Where is 9 when 10
passes?
45
INFRINGEMENT
It’s easy isn’t it?
46
THE GIVE AND GO
OFFSIDE
2
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Where was RED 3 when RED 2 passed?
• What is your decision?
47
OFFSIDE POSITION?
Which half is #9 in?
48
NO INFRINGEMENT
49
ASSISTANT REFEREE
To determine offside the assistant
referee must be concerned about
and concentrating totally on
his or her task.
The assistant referee can not be a
spectator of the game.
50
OFFSIDE POSITION?
51
INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?
Where is the area of active play?
52
NO INVOLVEMENT
53
OFFSIDE POSITION?
54
GOALKEEPER NOT DISTRACTED
As play approaches the goal, the
goalkeeper’s primary focus is on the
ball. Offside decisions are the
responsibility of the officials not the
goalkeeper.
Goalkeepers should not allow themselves
to be distracted by the nearby presence
of opposing players, whether they are
offside or not offside.
The goalkeepers’ attention should be on
the ball !!
55
Interfering with an Opponent?
Where should the goalkeeper be
focusing his/her attention?
56
NO INVOLVEMENT
57
OFFSIDE POSITION?
58
INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?
Where is the area of active play?
59
Interfering with an Opponent
The player, in an offside position
interfered with an opponent and must
be penalized for offside.
60
OFFSIDE POSITION?
Involved in active play?
61
SHOT AT GOAL HITS POST
Now he’s involved
62
GAINED AN ADVANTAGE
63
11.4 Offence Following a Rebound or Save
Gaining an Advantage by being in that
position by playing the ball or interfering
with an opponent when it has:
• rebounded or been deflected off the
goalpost, crossbar or an opponent
• been deliberately saved by any opponent
64
SHOT ON GOAL
2
OFFSIDE
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Is RED 2 involved in active play?
• How about now?
65
AN INFRINGEMENT
In this example, the player who
was in offside position
gained an advantage
from being in an offside position
and must be penalized
66
OFFSIDE POSITION?
67
SHOT AT GOAL
Involvement in Active Play?
68
BALL ENTERS THE GOAL
Allow the shot and the goal!
69
SHOT ON GOAL
2
NOT
OFFSIDE
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Is RED 2 involved in active play?
• Allow the Goal
70
IT IS
LEGAL
TO BE IN AN
OFFSIDE
POSITION
71
FREE KICK
2
GOAL!
3
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Was RED 2 involved in active play?
• If RED 2 was removed would it have
changed anything?
72
Referee / Assistant Referee
It is the assistant referee’s
responsibility to determine
position and activity of the
players.
The referee makes the final
decision to stop the game.
73
REBOUND FROM GOALKEEPER
OFFSIDE
Does the player gain an advantage?
74
BALL DEFLECTED BY DEFENDER
OFFSIDE
Does the player gain an advantage?
75
CORNER KICK
76
CORNER KICK
77
CORNER KICK
78
CORNER KICK
79
CORNER KICK
3
2
NOT
OFFSIDE
• Is RED 2 in an offside position?
• Is RED 2 involved in active play?
• Ball received directly from corner kick
80
CORNER KICK
3
2
OFFSIDE
• Was RED 3 in an offside position?
• Did RED 3 receive the ball from the
corner kick?
81
THROW-IN
82
THROW-IN
83
THROW-IN
84
THROW-IN
85
THROW-IN
NOT
3
OFFSIDE
2
• Is RED 3 in an offside position?
• Did RED 3 receive the ball from the
throw-in?
86
THROW-IN
OFFSIDE
3
2
• Is RED 3 in an offside position?
• Did RED 3 receive the ball from the
throw-in?
87
Restart for Offside Infraction
“For any offside offense, the
referee awards an indirect
free kick to the opposing
team to be taken from the
place where the
infringement occurred”
including if it is in the player’s
own half of the field of play Not
where the whistle sounded!
88
11.5 Position of Free Kick
“If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an
indirect free kick where the offence occurred,
including if it is in the player’s own half of the field of
play”
Explanation
Throughout the Laws, the general principle is that
a FK is awarded where an offence occurs so this
now applies to offside. A FK can be awarded in a
player’s own half if the player moves from an
offside position in the opponents’ half to commit
an offside offence in the player’s own half.
89
IFK LOCATION
A
2
A
B
3
• RED is guilty of an offside infraction.
• Where is the IFK taken – A or B
90
Non-Involvement
Clear intention to not participate:
• Standing still
• Moving away from active play
• Stepping off the field of play
91
11.7 Attacking Player off the Field
An attacking player may step or stay off the
field of play not to be involved in active play.
If the player re-enters from the goal line and
becomes involved in play before the next
stoppage in play or the defending team has
played the ball towards the halfway line and
it is outside their penalty area, the player
shall be considered to be positioned on the
goal line point for the purposes of offside.
92
11.7 Attacking Player off the Field
A player who deliberately leaves
the field of play and re-enters
without the referee’s permission
and is not penalized for offside
and gains an advantage, must
be cautioned.
Explanation
Clarifies how to deal with an
attacking player who leaves or
stays off the field of play and
then returns.
93
11.6 Defending Player off the Field
A defending player who leaves the field of
play without the referee’s permission shall
be considered to be on the goal line or
touchline for the purposes of offside until the
next stoppage in play or until the defending
team has played the ball towards the
halfway line and it is outside their penalty
area. If the player left the field of play
deliberately, the player must be cautioned
when the ball is next out of play
94
11.6 Defending Player off the Field
Explanation
It is unfair that an injured defending player
off the field ‘plays everyone onside’ until play
stops. The new wording defines the end of
the phase of play when the defender is no
longer considered to be on the field for the
purposes of offside.
95
11.8 Attacking Player in the Goal
If an attacking player remains stationary
between the goalposts and inside the goal
as the ball enters the goal, a goal must be
awarded unless the player commits an
offside offence or Law 12 offence in which
case play is restarted with an indirect or
direct free kick.
Explanation
Consistent with updated offside wording (i.e. removal of
‘distracts’) and the ability to penalize an offence off the field
with a free kick when the ball is in play.
96
MECHANICS
• At the moment a teammate plays the ball,
the assistant referee, before raising the
flag must:
– Observe players’ positions
– Evaluate players’ activities
In other words ask the questions!
• Player activities means that the player is
immediately involved with that particular
sequence of play
97
MECHANICS
Before raising the flag to indicate a player is
off-side, be certain that the player is
involved with active play by:
• Interfering with play, or
• Interfering with an opponent, or
• Gaining an advantage by being in an offside position
Only then signal to the referee when you are
wholly satisfied that this is the case
98
REVIEW
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is Offside Position?
What is Active Involvement?
What are the exceptions?
When should the AR raise the flag?
What is the restart?
Where is the restart?
99
If in
doubt
No Flag!
100
Offside
Are you ready to put your
knowledge to the test?
101