The offside rule is the most argued-about line in football, yet the law itself is short. Law 11 of the IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27 separates two ideas that fans often blur together: being in an offside position, which is not an offence on its own, and committing an offside offence, which only happens when that player becomes involved in active play. Once you keep those two steps apart, almost every decision you see in the Premier League, the Champions League or MLS becomes easy to follow. Whether you call it football or soccer, the rule is identical at every level that uses the IFAB Laws, from the World Cup to a Sunday league in England or a high-school game in the US.
Step one: what is an offside position?
A player is in an offside position if, at the moment a team-mate plays or touches the ball, any part of their head, body or feet is:
- in the opponents’ half (the halfway line itself does not count), and
- nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.
The “second-last opponent” is usually the last outfield defender, because the goalkeeper is normally the last one. If the goalkeeper has come out, two outfield players may be the reference points instead. What matters is counting opponents, not positions.
A few details decide close calls:
- Level is onside. Being level with the second-last opponent, or with the last two opponents, is legal.
- Arms do not count. The hands and arms of every player, goalkeepers included, are ignored. The arm starts at the bottom of the armpit, so a shoulder or chest ahead of the defender’s foot can make a player offside.
- Behind the ball is safe. A player level with or behind the ball cannot be offside, which is why a cut-back to a team-mate arriving late is always legal.
- The timing is the first touch. Position is judged at the moment the team-mate first touches the ball, not when the receiver gets it.
You can recreate these situations on our tactics board by placing the attackers, the defensive line and the ball, then moving one player to test where the line falls.
Step two: when does it become an offence?
Standing in an offside position is not punished. A player is only penalised if they become involved in active play in one of three ways:
| Involvement | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Interfering with play | Playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate |
| Interfering with an opponent | Blocking the goalkeeper’s line of vision, challenging for the ball, clearly attempting to play a nearby ball when it affects the opponent, or making an obvious action that impacts the opponent’s ability to play the ball |
| Gaining an advantage | Playing the ball after it rebounds or is deflected off the goalpost, crossbar, a match official or an opponent, or after a deliberate save |
This is why you sometimes see the assistant referee keep the flag down while a player in an offside position jogs back: until that player does something on the list above, there is nothing to penalise.
The deliberate play reset
If a defender deliberately plays the ball, for example a controlled pass back to the goalkeeper that goes astray, a player who was in an offside position is no longer penalised for receiving it. A deliberate save is the exception: a goalkeeper (or any player) stopping a ball heading into or very close to goal does not reset offside. Deflections and rebounds do not reset it either. Deciding between a deliberate play and a deflection is one of the judgement calls that still causes debate.
Where offside does not apply
There is no offside offence when a player receives the ball directly from:
- a goal kick,
- a throw-in,
- a corner kick.
The exemption only covers the first touch from that restart. If a team-mate then plays the ball on, normal offside rules apply again. There is also no offside in your own half, which is why teams playing a high line push up to the halfway line rather than beyond it on counter-attacks.
The sanction and restart
When an offside offence is given, the opponents restart with an indirect free kick from the place where the offending player became involved in play. That spot can be in the attacker’s own half if they ran back to receive the ball there. If a goal is scored after an uncalled offside offence and the error is clear, the goal is disallowed and play restarts with that same indirect free kick.
How technology checks offside
Offside is one of the factual decisions that VAR can check directly, without sending the referee to the pitch-side monitor. The video team identifies the frame when the ball was played, then draws calibrated lines across the pitch. In many top competitions, including UEFA club competitions and FIFA tournaments, semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) tracks limb positions with dedicated cameras and a sensor in the ball to speed this up. Our VAR guide explains the full review process.
Assistant referees are instructed to delay the flag on tight calls when an attack is still developing, so that a wrong flag does not kill a legitimate goal. That is why some goals are scored and then ruled out a minute later.
IFAB has authorised trials of alternative offside wording, including “daylight” style proposals where an attacker would need to be clearly ahead of the defender. These are trials only and not part of the Laws. For the 2026/27 season the definition above is the one used everywhere.
Offside in the UK, the US and grassroots football
The rule text is the same in England, Scotland and the US, because the FA, the Scottish FA and US Soccer all apply the IFAB Laws. MLS, the NWSL and the Premier League use the full version with VAR. College (NCAA) and high-school (NFHS) soccer in the US publish their own rulebooks, but the core offside definition mirrors Law 11.
The big difference is in small-sided youth football. In England, mini-soccer formats such as 5v5 and 7v7 are commonly played without offside, while 9v9 and 11v11 introduce it. US youth clubs and many recreational leagues follow a similar progression. If you are setting up a junior pitch, check the soccer field dimensions for the format and confirm the local league rules before kick-off. Casual 5-a-side and 7-a-side games usually drop offside completely, as covered in our football rules guide.
Common offside myths
- “You can’t be offside if the defender is behind the goal line.” Not quite. A defender who leaves the pitch without permission is treated as being on the goal line for offside purposes until the next stoppage, so they still count.
- “The goalkeeper must be one of the last two.” No, any two opponents count, whoever they are.
- “Offside is about where the player receives the ball.” No, it is judged when the pass is played.
- “A player in an offside position standing still is always fine.” Usually, but blocking the goalkeeper’s view of a shot is an offence.
How coaches use the rule
Defending teams use the offside line to squeeze space, stepping up together just before a pass so attackers are caught. Attacking teams counter with timed runs, starting from an onside position and accelerating as the ball is played, or by having one player drift offside deliberately to drag the line before a team-mate makes the real run. If you plan these patterns with your squad, a clear starting shape on a lineup builder helps every player see where the defensive line should sit.