COVENTRY, ENGLAND - JULY 30: A linesman flags for offside during the pre-season friendly between Coventry and Everton at The Coventry Building Society Arena on July 30, 2024 in Coventry, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - Offside can feel confusing at first, but the rule is meant to stop attacking players from gaining an unfair advantage near the opponent’s goal.
WATCH | EXPLAINER VIDEO: What is ‘offside?’
What we know:
In soccer, a player is in an offside position if they are in the opponent’s half and closer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent when the ball is played by a teammate.
That does not automatically mean the player has committed an offside offense.
According to the Laws of the Game, it is not an offense simply to be in an offside position. The player is only penalized if they become involved in active play.
What does offside mean?
The easiest way to think about offside is this: an attacking player cannot wait behind the defense near the goal and then receive a pass from a teammate.
For a player to be in an offside position, they usually have to be ahead of the second-last defender when the ball is played. The goalkeeper is often the last defender, which is why people commonly describe the rule in relation to the "last defender," but the official rule refers to the second-last opponent.
A player’s head, body or feet can be considered when judging offside. The hands and arms of players are not considered.
When is offside called?
Offside is judged at the moment the ball is played or touched by a teammate.
A player in an offside position can be penalized if they:
Interfere with play by playing or touching the ball.
Interfere with an opponent, such as blocking their line of vision or challenging them for the ball.
Gain an advantage after the ball rebounds, deflects or is deliberately saved.
This is why fans often see a delayed flag or a long video review. Officials are not just looking at where the attacker was standing. They also have to decide whether that player became involved in the play.
When is a player not offside?
A player is not offside if they are level with the second-last opponent or level with the last two opponents.
A player also cannot be offside if they receive the ball directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick.
There is also no offside offense if the player is in their own half when the ball is played.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - JULY 07: A general view of the scoreboard as the VAR's decision to disallow a goal scored by Emma Severini of Italy (not pictured) is illustrated by a semi-automated offside image during the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Group B match …
Why does soccer have an offside rule?
The offside rule helps keep the game balanced.
Without it, attacking players could stand near the opponent’s goal and wait for long passes behind the defense. The rule encourages teams to build attacks, time their runs and break through defenses with movement instead of simply camping near the goal.
What happens after an offside call?
When offside is called, the defending team is awarded an indirect free kick from the place where the offside offense occurred.
In many cases, that means the attacking team loses a promising chance, and sometimes a goal is wiped away if the player was ruled offside before scoring or assisting.
The bottom line
Offside is all about timing and positioning.
An attacker can run behind the defense, but they have to time the run so they are not in an offside position when the ball is played by a teammate. That split-second timing is why offside calls can be so close, controversial and important.
The Source: This article was written using information from the IFAB Laws of the Game and an adidas soccer explainer.