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.