SRSport Rules
Football - Law 11

Offside, without the guesswork.

Being ahead of the defenders is not enough on its own. Offside only becomes an offence if the player then gets involved by playing the ball, challenging an opponent, or affecting what an opponent can do.

Quick ruling: first ask who was in an offside position when the pass was made. Then ask whether that player actually took part in the play.
Decision path

How the call is made

  1. Freeze the moment a teammate plays or touches the ball.
  2. Check whether the attacker is in the opponents' half and closer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender.
  3. If not, play on. If yes, keep going because the player is only in an offside position so far.
  4. Ask whether that player touches the ball, tries to play it, blocks an opponent, blocks the goalkeeper's line of sight, or clearly changes what an opponent can do.
  5. If they do one of those things, it is offside. If they do not, there is no offence yet.
What changes it

Details fans miss most

  • Level is onside: if the attacker is exactly level, they are not offside.
  • Position alone is not a foul: the player must become involved.
  • Goalkeeper interference matters: a player can be offside without touching the ball if they block the keeper or stop the keeper seeing the shot.
  • A deliberate play by a defender can reset the phase: but a rebound or save does not.
Common argument

"He never touched it"

That does not end the discussion. If an offside attacker screens the goalkeeper, challenges for the ball, or forces a defender to react, the attacker may still be punished even without making contact.