1. LAW 11
Offside

2. Objectives At the end of this lesson the student will be able to:
list the three restarts where there is no offside offense
state what constitutes involvement in active play
identify offside position
apply a uniform interpretation of the Offside Law in all situations

3. TOPICS Explanation Elements of the Law Lots of examples
Offside position
Involvement in active play
Judgement
Not offside
Sanctions
Lots of examples

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. at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of their team
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
Timing
at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of their team
Opinion of the referee to penalize
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
It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position
Judgement of offside occurs at the moment the ball is touched or played by a teammate - not - when the player receives the ball

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. Not where the whistle sounded!
ELEMENTS OF THE LAW
“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”
Not where the whistle sounded!

9. Is that sector of the field where players
AREA OF ACTIVE PLAY
Is that sector of the field where players
actively participate
in that play

10. 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 above, then:
Is the player interfering with play or an opponent?
Is the player gaining advantage?
IF yes to either above, then Offside, otherwise no infraction

11. OFFSIDE POSITION?

12. INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?

13. AN INFRINGEMENT
The player in offside position has played the ball and has gained an advantage and must be sanctioned for offside

14. Offside Position vs. Activity
Offside position alone is not an infringement
Offside position and activity is an infringement

15. VIOLATION
Which half is #9 in?
1/2

16. VIOLATION
2/2

17. The assistant referee can not be a spectator of the game.
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.

18. What is Even?
The torso, head & feet are looked at for determining “even” for purposes of offside.
-Not hands

19. Is This Even?

20. Absolutely!
Not Offside

21. Is This Even?

22. Not!
Offside

23. Is the player involved in active play?
OFFSIDE POSITION?
1/3
Is the player involved in active play?

24. INVOLVED IN ACTIVE PLAY?
Where is the area of active play?
2/3

25. NO INVOLVEMENT
3/3

26. Is the player involved in active play?
OFSIDE POSITION?
1/3
Is the player involved in active play?

27. Interfering with an Opponent?
Where is the area of active play?
2/3

28. Interfering with an Opponent?
3/3

29. Interfering with an Opponent?
1/3
Is the player involved in active play?

30. Interfering with an Opponent?
Where is the area of active play?
2/3

31. Interfering with an Opponent?
The player, in an offside position interfered with an opponent and must be sanctioned for offside.
3/3

32. 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 must be on the ball !!

33. Where is the area of active play?
SHOT AT GOAL HITS POST
Where is the area of active play?
1/3
Involved in active play?

34. SHOT AT GOAL HITS POST
Now he’s involved
2/3

35. In this example, the player who was in offside position
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

36. SHOT AT GOAL
1/3

37. Where is the area of active play?
SHOT AT GOAL
Where is the area of active play?
2/3
Involved in active play?

38. Allow the shot and the goal!
SHOT AT GOAL
Allow the shot and the goal!
3/3

39. No Infringement
IT IS
LEGAL
TO BE IN AN
OFFSIDE
POSITION

40. FREE KICK
Involvement in active play?

41. If that player were removed would it have made a difference?
NO INFRINGEMENT
If that player were removed would
it have made a difference?
(Hand of God)

42. 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.

43. REBOUND FROM GOALKEEPER
Deflection- no control by GK
Does the player gain an advantage?

44. INFRINGEMENT

45. BALL DEFLECTED BY DEFENDER
Does the player gain an advantage?

46. AN INFRINGEMENT At the moment the ball was played by a
OFF-SIDE
At the moment the ball was played by a
teammate, the player was in offside position.

47. CORNER KICK
1/3

48. CORNER KICK
2/3

49. CORNER KICK
3/3

50. THROW-IN
1/3

51. THROW-IN
2/3

52. THROW-IN
3/3

53. Non-Involvement
Clear intention to not participate:
Standing still
Moving away from active play
Stepping off the field of play

54. 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

55. MECHANICS
Before raising the flag to indicate a player is off-side, be certain that the player is:
Involved with active play, or
Interfering with an opponent, or
Gaining an advantage by being in an off-side position
Only then signal to the referee when you are completely satisfied that this is the case

56. Review What is “position?” What is “timing?”
What is “active involvement?”
Which of these three can you miss & still have offside?
3 restarts when NOT offside
What is defender control vs. touch?