Offside Rule Explained: Football Rules and Examples

The offside rule prevents attackers from gaining an unfair advantage by waiting close to the opponent’s goal for a pass. A player is not penalised simply for standing in an offside position. An offence occurs only when that player becomes actively involved in play.

How the offside rule works

An attacker is in an offside position when, at the moment a teammate plays or touches the ball, all of these conditions apply:

The player is in the opponents’ half of the pitch.
Some part of the player’s head, body, or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.
The player is nearer to the goal line than the second-last opponent. The hands and arms are not counted for offside purposes.

Being level with the second-last opponent is onside. Being level with the ball is also onside. The offside decision is judged at the instant the teammate makes the pass or touch, not when the attacker receives the ball.

When an offside position becomes an offence

A player in an offside position is penalised only after becoming involved in active play. This can happen in three main ways:

Interfering with play: the player plays or touches the ball after a teammate’s pass.
Interfering with an opponent: the player blocks an opponent’s line of vision, challenges for the ball, obstructs movement, or clearly affects an opponent’s ability to play it.
Gaining an advantage: the player becomes involved after the ball rebounds or deflects from the goal frame, an opponent, or a save.

For example, an attacker can stand behind the defensive line without an immediate whistle if the ball is passed elsewhere and the attacker does not affect an opponent. If that player then collects the pass, challenges a defender, or benefits from a rebound, the assistant referee may flag for offside.

Common offside examples

Through ball: A striker is behind the second-last defender when a teammate sends a pass forward. If the striker runs onto the ball and becomes involved, the offence is usually given.

Onside run: A forward starts behind the defender but times the run so that they are level with or behind the second-last opponent when the pass is played. The forward is onside, even if they are beyond the defender by the time they receive the ball.

Offside without touching the ball: An attacker can be penalised without playing the ball if their position blocks the goalkeeper’s view or prevents a defender from making a legitimate play.

Defender deliberately plays the ball: If a defender deliberately plays the ball and it reaches an attacker who was previously in an offside position, the attacker may no longer be considered offside. A simple deflection, however, does not normally reset the offside situation.

Situations where offside cannot be given

There is no offside offence when a player receives the ball directly from a:

Goal kick
Throw-in
Corner kick

Offside also cannot apply while a player is in their own half. The halfway line counts as part of the player’s own half, so the attacker must have crossed it for an offside position to exist.

How VAR and assistant referees make the decision

The assistant referee watches the positions of the attacker, the ball, and the second-last opponent when the pass is made. The flag may be delayed if an attacking move is still developing, especially in competitions using video review.

VAR can check the exact frame in which the teammate touches the ball and draw calibrated lines to assess the attacker’s position. It can also determine whether the player interfered with an opponent or gained an advantage. The final decision depends on both the player’s position and their involvement in the play; being beyond the defensive line alone is not enough.

Why the second-last defender matters

The goalkeeper is often the last defender, but not always. The offside line is based on the second-last opponent, regardless of which players occupy those positions. If the goalkeeper comes out, an outfield defender may become the last opponent and another defender may set the offside line.

Referees assess the part of the attacker that can legally score. An arm or hand extending beyond the defender does not make a player offside, but a head, torso, or foot beyond the relevant line can.