Offside — Interfering with Play

Being in an offside position is not an offence by itself. A player is only penalised if they are involved in active play by touching the ball, interfering with an opponent, or gaining an advantage.

The full rule

A player in an offside position is only penalised if they become involved in active play. This means: touching the ball passed or touched by a teammate, interfering with an opponent by preventing them from playing the ball, or gaining an advantage by playing a ball that rebounds from the post, crossbar, or an opponent. A player who is in an offside position but runs away from the ball and has no impact on the play should not be flagged.

Key points

✓Offside position alone is not an offence
✓Must be involved: touching ball, blocking opponent, or gaining advantage
✓Gaining advantage includes rebounds off posts or opponents
✓Linesman should delay flag until it is clear the player is involved
✓VAR checks involvement as well as position

Scenarios

Scenario 1

Offside player runs away from the ball

Goal

An attacker is in an offside position when the ball is played, but they run away from it and a different teammate scores.

Correct call: Goal stands. The offside player was not involved in active play.

Common mistake: Flagging offside because the player was in an offside position. Position without involvement is not an offence.

Scenario 2

Ball rebounds off post to offside attacker

Offside

An attacker shoots and the ball hits the post. A teammate in an offside position runs onto the rebound and scores.

Correct call: Offside. The player gained an advantage from their offside position by playing a rebound.

Common mistake: Allowing the goal because the rebound came off the post, not an opponent. Post and crossbar rebounds count as gaining an advantage.