It’s probably one of the most-asked questions about soccer of all time: what is the offside rule? Despite the fact that it’s one of the most common violations that stops play, offside is so difficult to wrap your head around that even longtime fans of soccer (or football, as the Brits call it) disagree about the call regularly. (Ryan Reynolds himself, who owns the Welsh football club Wrexham FC, is a little fuzzy on what offside means: in a “humiliating” moment, he got schooled by David Beckham over the term, and had to defend himself, saying, “in fairness, nobody understands the offside rule.”)
But while the offside rule in soccer is a little complicated, this can be the year that you internalize what it means once and for all. We dug into the rules of soccer and took our time breaking down what offside means, until we’d some up with a straightforward explanation that’s easy to wrap your head around. Here’s everything you need to know about what offside (sometimes called “offsides”) means in soccer – so you don’t have to worry about Beckham coming for you, too.
What Does Offside Mean in Soccer?
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) defines being in an offside position as being both in the opponent’s half of the field and “nearer to the opponents’ goal line than
both the ball and the second-last opponent.” Essentially, it means that a player on the offensive or attacking team is closer to the goal than any player on the defensive team (besides the goalie).
Simply being in this position isn’t necessarily a problem. However, if the offside player becomes involved in the play, it becomes a violation. For example, if a player in the offside position gets the ball (via a pass, for example) it becomes an offside offense or an offside penalty. Here’s where it can get tricky: in some cases, an offside penalty can also be called if a player on the offensive gets the ball while one of their teammates is offside. A penalty can only be called on the team in possession of the ball.
An Example of an Offside Penalty
To explain what this actually looks like during a game, let’s consider how it might play out between two teams we’ll call Team A and Team B. In this scenario, let’s say Team A is in possession of the ball and is trying to score. That means Team A is the only team that can be called offside during this play (until Team B gets the ball back).
The soccer field is divided into two halves, called the defending side and the attacking side. The attacking side is the side with the goal where the team in possession of the ball (Team A) is trying to score. The defending side is the other side of the field. The only place on the field where an offside can be called is on the attacking side.
The goalkeeper, who stands near the goal to keep the offensive team from scoring, is almost always the last opponent. This means the second-last opponent (as used in IFAB’s definition of offside) is the very next player on the defensive team (Team B).
To determine when a player is offside, locate that last defender (Team B player) between the team who is trying to score (Team A) and the goal, and draw an imaginary line across the field. Any Team A player who is past that line, between the defender and the goal, is offside.
It’s worth noting: IFAB considers any part of the head, body, or feet to count as being over the line (a player does not need to cross it with their whole body). “The hands and arms of all players, including the goalkeepers, are not considered,” IFAB notes in its Laws of the Game 23/24. “For the purposes of determining offside, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit.” Basically, this refers to any part of the body that could be used to score.
Here are some instances when an offside penalty would be called:
- If an offside Team A player gets the ball passed to them.
- If a Team A player gets the ball while another Team A player is offside, and the referees determine that the offside player is involved in the play somehow (such as by blocking the goalkeeper’s line of sight).
If you’re still confused, watch this video, which breaks it down visually. (Trust, it helps!)
Exceptions to the Offside Rule
There are a few instances where a team won’t get a penalty even if a player seems to be in an offside position.
Corner kicks: If a team is restarting play with a corner kick, it’s OK for their teammates to be in the offside position. Same with throw-ins and goal kicks.
Pass timing: This one comes down to exact timing. If a player is not in the offside position when someone kicks the ball, but moves into an offside position to receive the ball, that’s not a violation. This is true as long as the player is not already offside when the ball is kicked. (See the “Timing Matters” graphic in this explanation by the New York Times.)
On the defending side: A player can not be penalized for being offside when they’re on the defending side of the field – meaning, they’re on the side of the field with their own goalie.
What Happens If a Team Gets an Offside Penalty?
If a team receives an offside penalty, the referee will award an indirect free kick to the other team. The kick will take place where the offense occurred, per IFAB rules. It cannot score a goal directly into the goal and must be touched by two or more players before it crosses the goal line.
– Additional reporting by Lauren Mazzo, Mirel Zaman, and Jade Esmeralda
Stephanie Haney was a PS contributor.
Lauren Mazzo was the senior fitness editor at PS. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist through the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining PS, she worked for six years as a writer and editor for Shape Magazine covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty, and astrology.
Mirel Zaman is the Health & Fitness director at PS. She has nearly 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, writing and editing articles about fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, astrology, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.
Jade Esmeralda, MS, CSCS, is a health and fitness staff writer. A lifelong martial artist and dancer, Jade has a strong passion for strength and conditioning, sports science, and human performance. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in exercise science and strength and conditioning from George Washington University.
