United States Soccer Federation
Offside - A Historical
Perspective
Offside Historical Perspective
1
Objective
The participants will understand the
historical changes which have ocurred
in the Offside Law in order to apply
present day interpretations of this Law
to actual match situations.
Offside Historical Perspective
2
Thring’s Rule
Rule # 9 of the 10 Rules written by the Rev. J.C.
Thring, Master at Uppingham School, 1860:
A player is “out of play” immediately
he is in front of the ball and must return
behind the ball as soon as possible....
Offside Historical Perspective
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Thring’s Rule continued
....If the ball is kicked by one of his own
side past a player who is “out of play”,
he may not touch it, kick it or advance it,
Defines what a player, who is “out of
play”, could not do
Offside Historical Perspective
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Thring’s Rule continued
....until one of the other side has first
kicked it, or one of his own side, having
followed it up, has been able, when in
front of him to kick it.
Describes several ways how a player
can become “onside”
Offside Historical Perspective
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Other School Rules
Harrow School - defines an offside
player to be “behind” and restricts an
offside player from interfering with an
opponent
Eton College - defines an offside player
to be “sneaking”
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Offside: Important Dates
1870 Football Association (12 Laws)
Law 6: Defines “out of play” as player
being nearer opponent’s goal line than
the ball unless there are 3 opponents
between the player and the goal.
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Offside: Important Dates
1881 No offside on corner kick
1907 No offside in own half of field
1921 No offside on throw-in
1925 Three opponents reduced to two
1938 Offside becomes Law XI
1956 IBD 1
1978 Law Xl rewritten
1990 Even with 2 opponents is ok
1995 “ involved in active play”
1997/98 Law 11 simplified
Offside Historical Perspective
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Law Change of 1978
 Preceded
by 1974 proposal of FA of
Wales to International Board
 Removed any reference to ball touching
or played by an opponent
 Stated that penalizing offside is to be
judged (starting) the moment the ball is
played by a teammate
Offside Historical Perspective
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Offside Diagram 1976
Diagram 10.-NOT OFFSIDE
C
B
D1
D2
A
E
Ball touching an opponent
A shoots at goal. D runs from position1 to position 2 to intercept the ball, but
it glances off his foot to B who scores. B is not off-side because, although he
is in front of the ball and has not two opponents between him and the goal-line
the ball was last played by an opponent, D.
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Offside Diagram 1979
Diagram 10.-OFFSIDE
C
B
D1
D2
A
E
Ball touching an opponent
A shoots at goal. D runs from position1 to position 2 to intercept the ball, but
it glances off his foot to B who scores. B is off-side as he was in an off-side
position at the moment the ball was played by one of his own team and
interfering with play notwithstanding that the ball was deflected by D.
Offside Historical Perspective
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Offside Diagram 1980
Diagram 10.-OFFSIDE
C
B
D1
D2
A
E
Ball touching an opponent
A shoots at goal. D runs from position1 to position 2 to intercept the ball, but
it glances off his foot to B who scores. B is off-side as he was in an off-side
position at the moment the ball was played by one of his own team and
interfering with play notwithstanding that the ball was deflected by D.
Offside Historical Perspective
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Offside Diagram 1976
Diagram 7.-NOT OFFSIDE
C
B
D
A
E
Shot at goal returned by goalkeeper
A shoots at goal. The ball is played out by C but B obtains possession and
scores. B was in front of the ball and did not have two opponents between
him and the goal-line when the ball was played by A, but he is not off-side
because the ball has been last played by an opponent, C.
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Offside Diagram 1979
Diagram 7.-NOT OFFSIDE
C
B
D
A
E
Shot at goal returned by goalkeeper (contd.)
A shoots at goal. The ball is played out by C but B obtains possession and
scores. B was in front of the ball and did not have two opponents between
him and the goal-line when the ball was played by A, but he is not off-side
because the ball has been last played by an opponent, C.
Offside Historical Perspective
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Offside Diagram 1980
Diagram 7.-OFFSIDE
C
B
D
A
E
Shot at goal returned by goalkeeper (contd.)
A shoots at goal. The ball is played out by C but B obtains possession and
scores. The goal should be disallowed if the referee considers that B, who is in
an off-side position when A shoots, is interfering with play.
Offside Historical Perspective
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Offside: Current Key Issues
What is meant by “gaining an advantage”?
 How does one interfere with an opponent?
 When is penalizing for offside judged?
 What is “active play”
 How does a player become “onside”?

From a historical perspective, none
of these issues have changed since
the rules of the early 1860’s.
Offside Historical Perspective
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Questions & Answers
Q1. When is a player in an offside position?
A1.
When he is nearer to his opponent’s goal
line than both the ball and the second to last
opponent (and he is in the opponent’s half of
the field).
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Questions & Answers
Q2. When (at what point in time) can the
referee consider penalizing a player in an
offside position?
A2.
The moment the ball touches or is played
by one of his team or any time later as
long as the offside player has not become
“onside”.
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Questions & Answers
Q3. While in an offside position a player
cannot do what?
A3.
Be involved in active play by:

interfering with play, or
interfering with an opponent, or
gaining an advantage by being in
that position


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Questions & Answers
Q4. How does a player become onside again?
A4.
1. He is not in front of the ball when it is
next played by one of his side, or
2. He is no longer in an offside position
when the ball is next played by one of
his side, or
3. If an opponent gains possession of the
ball, or
4. The ball goes out of play.
Offside Historical Perspective
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