1. Law 11
Offside

2. 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

3. Offside refers to the English term for a team - SIDE - thus…
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 Unless
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
Interfering with play means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team mate.
Interfering with an opponent means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or movements or making a gesture or movement which, in the opinion of the referee, deceives or distracts an opponent.
Gaining an advantage by being in an offside position means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a post or crossbar or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position.

6. have the same meaning as
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. 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

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 Is RED 2 in an offside position?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? OFFSIDE Is RED 2 in an offside position?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 Is RED 2 in an offside position?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. The attacker is even and therefore Not offside
NO INFRINGEMENT
The attacker is even and therefore Not offside

28. OFFSIDE POSITION? NOT OFFSIDE Is RED 2 in an offside position?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. The attacker is even and therefore Not offside
NO INFRINGEMENT
The attacker is even and therefore Not offside

39. AR POSITIONING Is RED 2 in an offside position?3
Is RED 2 in an offside position?
Can the AR make a correct decision from this position?

40. AR POSITIONING Is RED 2 in an offside position?3
Is RED 2 in an offside position?
Can the AR make a correct decision from this position?

41. AR POSITIONING NOT OFFSIDE Is RED 2 in an offside position?3
Is RED 2 in an offside position?
What is your decision?

42. 9 makes a pass and runs to space
OFFSIDE POSITION?
9 makes a pass and runs to space

43. 10 makes a pass AFTER 9 runs to the new position
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 Is RED 2 in an offside position?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. 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.

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 OFFSIDE Is RED 2 in an offside position?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. Involvement in Active Play?
SHOT AT GOAL
Involvement in Active Play?

68. Allow the shot and the goal!
BALL ENTERS THE GOAL
Allow the shot and the goal!

69. SHOT ON GOAL NOT OFFSIDE Is RED 2 in an offside position?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 GOAL! Is RED 2 in an offside position?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 NOT OFFSIDE Is RED 2 in an offside position?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 OFFSIDE Was RED 3 in an offside position?2
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 OFFSIDE Is RED 3 in an offside position?2
Is RED 3 in an offside position?
Did RED 3 receive the ball from the throw-in?

86. THROW-IN OFFSIDE Is RED 3 in an offside position?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 Explanation
“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 RED is guilty of an offside infraction.B 2 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. In other words ask the questions!
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 off-side 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. Are you ready to put your knowledge to the test?
Offside
Are you ready to put your knowledge to the test?