Offside from Deflections & Deliberate Play

A player in an offside position is not penalised if the ball comes to them from a deliberate play by an opponent — but a deflection off a defender does not count as deliberate play.

The full rule

This is one of the most nuanced areas of the offside rule. If a defender deliberately plays the ball — meaning they had control and chose to pass, clear or play it — an attacker in an offside position who receives it is onside. However if the ball merely deflects off a defender without them having control or intending to play it, the offside position stands and the attacker is penalised. VAR uses specific criteria to determine whether a touch was deliberate: the ball's speed and direction, whether it was moving toward or away from the player, and whether the player had time to coordinate their movement. A goalkeeper's deliberate save always resets the offside — an attacker cannot gain advantage from an offside position via a deliberate save.

Key points

✓Deliberate play by a defender resets offside — attacker becomes onside
✓A deflection without control does not reset offside
✓VAR judges deliberate play on: ball speed, direction, player's control, time to react
✓A goalkeeper's deliberate save always resets offside
✓An inaccurate clearance that the player intended still counts as deliberate play
✓The distinction between deflection and deliberate play is one of VAR's most complex judgments

Scenarios

Scenario 1

Defender heads ball to attacker in offside position

Onside

A defender jumps and deliberately heads the ball back toward goal. An attacker in an offside position receives it.

Correct call: Onside. The defender deliberately played the ball — they had control and chose to head it. The offside is reset.

Common mistake: Flagging offside because the attacker was clearly past the defensive line. The deliberate play by the defender resets their position.

Scenario 2

Ball deflects off defender's leg to offside attacker

Offside

A through ball deflects off a defender's shin unexpectedly and reaches an attacker in an offside position.

Correct call: Offside. The deflection off the defender's shin was not deliberate — they had no control and no intention to play the ball.

Common mistake: Ruling onside because the ball came off a defender. Only deliberate play resets offside, not accidental deflections.

Scenario 3

Goalkeeper dives and saves shot, ball goes to offside attacker

Offside

A shot is saved by the goalkeeper. An attacker in an offside position receives the rebound.

Correct call: Offside. A deliberate save by the goalkeeper does not reset offside — it is the specific exception in Law 11.

Common mistake: Ruling onside because the goalkeeper touched the ball. The law explicitly states that a deliberate save does not reset offside.