Offside causes more arguments than any other law in football. It looks simple, then a match throws you a tight “interfering” call. Learn the rule in layers, and the chaos fades.
This article gives the offside rule explained in match language. It is built for soccer offside beginners, yet it goes deep enough for coaches. You will leave with a clear offside meaning, plus the edge cases that decide goals.
Offside meaning in one clean line
A player is offside when they are closer to the goal line than the ball and the second-last defender, at the moment a teammate plays the ball.
That is the position. The offence is separate. A player can stand in an offside position all day and commit no offence.
Offside position, the exact checklist
A player is in an offside position if all these points are true at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate:
- The player is in the opponents’ half. The halfway line counts as part of your own half.
- Any part of the head, body, or feet is nearer the goal line than both:
- the ball, and
- the second-last opponent
Hands and arms never count for offside, for outfield players and goalkeepers. So a raised arm cannot put you offside. A leaning shoulder or knee can.
“Level” matters. A player is onside if level with the second-last opponent. A player is onside if level with the ball. Level means no body part that counts sits nearer the goal line.
The moment that matters
Offside is judged at the instant the teammate plays the ball, not when the attacker receives it.
That single idea clears up many debates. An attacker can run behind the back line after the pass, receive the ball, and stay legal. The pass moment stays the reference point.
For video decisions, officials pick the kick point, not the trap point. In a tight call, that frame choice can decide the goal.
Offside offence, when the flag should go up
An offside offence needs two parts:
- The attacker is in an offside position at the pass moment.
- The attacker becomes involved in active play.
“Involved in active play” has three routes.
Interfering with play
This is the simplest one. The attacker plays or touches the ball that came from a teammate.
If the attacker never touches the ball, this route cannot apply.
Interfering with an opponent
This is the route that sparks the biggest fights. The attacker affects a defender’s ability to play the ball.
Common examples:
- The attacker blocks the goalkeeper’s line of sight on a shot.
- The attacker challenges a defender for the ball.
- The attacker makes an obvious action that impacts the defender’s next action.
A key point: mere presence is not enough. A defender must be impacted in a clear way.
Gaining an advantage
This means the attacker plays the ball after it rebounds or deflects to them from an object or an opponent.
Examples that trigger “advantage”:
- Ball hits the post, drops to the offside attacker, and they score.
- Ball deflects off a defender’s leg straight to the offside attacker, and they score.
- Ball hits the referee, falls to the offside attacker, and they score.
The offside position at the pass moment still counts, even if the ball takes a bounce.
The three restarts that remove offside
There is no offside offence if an attacker receives the ball directly from:
- a throw-in
- a goal kick
- a corner kick
This is not a loophole. It is a design choice. These restarts are meant to restart play with less stoppage and more attacking options.
“Deliberate play” vs “deflection,” the part most fans miss
A defender touch can change the offside outcome, but only in certain cases.
If a defender deliberately plays the ball, and that play sends the ball to an offside attacker, the attacker often becomes legal to play it. A deliberate play looks like control, not a ricochet.
If the ball only deflects off a defender, offside still applies. A deflection looks like a rebound off a body part with no control.
A save is treated differently. A save near goal does not reset offside. The law treats a save like a rebound, even if the keeper or a defender gets a touch.
This area creates the hardest decisions. Referees look at control, distance, speed, and intent. A stretched leg block in the box often counts as a deflection, not a deliberate play.
Offside examples that match real games
Example 1: The easy flag
Winger runs behind the line. The pass is played. The winger is beyond the ball and the second-last defender. The winger receives and scores.
Result: offside offence. Indirect free kick to the defenders.
Example 2: Offside position, no offence
Striker stands offside in the middle. The ball goes wide. Another attacker crosses. A defender clears.
The offside striker never challenges, blocks vision, or touches the ball.
Result: no offence. Play continues.
Example 3: The “screening the keeper” call
A shot comes from the edge of the box. An attacker stands offside in front of the goalkeeper. The shot goes in.
If the attacker blocks the keeper’s view, or the keeper has to move around them, officials can give offside for interfering with an opponent.
If the keeper had a clear line of sight and the attacker played no part, officials can allow the goal.
This is why two clips can look similar and get two different outcomes. The keeper’s sight line is the hinge.
Example 4: Rebound to an offside attacker
A teammate shoots. The ball hits the post. It drops to an attacker who stood offside at the shot moment. They tap in.
Result: offside offence for gaining an advantage.
Why the second-last opponent matters, not the last
Most times, the goalkeeper is the last opponent. Not always.
If the goalkeeper comes out to challenge and a defender stays back on the line, that defender can become the last opponent. Offside then uses the second-last opponent, which might be the goalkeeper.
This explains odd goals that get ruled out near an empty net. The keeper is not the reference in that moment. The second-last opponent is.
The offside restart and why it is indirect
Offside restarts with an indirect free kick from the spot of the offence. The spot is where the offside player became involved, not where they stood at the pass moment.
Indirect means the kick must touch another player before a goal can count.
VAR and offside, what changed in the modern game
VAR brought two big changes.
First, officials now correct many clear missed offsides. Tight goals get checked. Celebrations pause. The decision arrives late.
Second, offside became more forensic. Lines get drawn. Frames get frozen. A toe can cancel a goal.
Many competitions now use semi-automated offside systems in top events. The system tracks player positions with multiple cameras and suggests the offside line faster. Humans still confirm the final call, and edge cases still need manual work.
Fans often blame the lines. The real cause of long checks is uncertainty on the kick frame, the ball contact point, or “interfering with an opponent.” Those parts still need judgment.
How to explain offside to soccer offside beginners in 20 seconds
Use this script:
“Offside is about where you are when your teammate plays the ball. You must have two opponents between you and the goal, or be level. Being offside is not a foul. It becomes a foul when you touch the ball, challenge a defender, block the keeper’s view, or score from a rebound.”
It stays short. It stays accurate. It avoids the traps.
How players stay onside on purpose
Top attackers do not guess. They use habits:
- Check the back line every two steps.
- Start runs on the defender’s blind side, then curve.
- Time the burst to the passer’s touch, not the passer’s head lift.
- Stay level, then go on the pass.
Coaches train this with freeze moments. The winger holds. The pass foot swings. The winger goes.
The main reason offside still feels confusing
The position part is clean. The involvement part is human.
“Interfering with an opponent” lives in small details. A keeper step. A defender hesitation. A challenge distance. Two officials can read the same moment in two ways.
You can still learn it. Watch the ball at the pass. Then watch the offside attacker’s actions. If their actions change a defender’s ability to play the ball, the flag has a case.
That is the offside rule explained with match reality, not slogans.
