When is a player in an offside position penalised?
I · Intermediate · Offside · 2 of 14A player in an offside position is penalised only if they become involved in active play: by playing or touching the ball, by interfering with an opponent or by gaining an advantage from a rebound, deflection or save. Standing in an offside position and staying out of play is not an offence.
How it works
The player in an offside position at the moment the teammate played the ball is penalised if they:
- play or touch the ball passed or touched by a teammate;
- prevent an opponent playing the ball by plainly blocking their line of sight;
- challenge an opponent for the ball;
- plainly try to play a ball close to them, when that affects an opponent;
- make an obvious action that plainly affects an opponent's ability to play the ball;
- gain an advantage by playing the ball or interfering after it rebounded or deflected off the post, crossbar, a match official or an opponent, or after an opponent deliberately saved it.
The punishment is an indirect free kick to the other team where the offence happened, even if that is in the offending player's own half.
Tricky cases
The ball came off a defender to the offside attacker. Is it offside?
It depends on how it came off the defender. A deflection or a save: offside. A deliberate play by the defender, such as a misplaced pass or clearance: not offside.
The offside player did not touch the ball but stood in front of the goalkeeper. Is that offside?
Yes, if they plainly blocked the goalkeeper's line of sight and that affected the goalkeeper's ability to play the ball.
Why is the flag raised late?
Assistant referees may delay the flag in a very clear attacking situation, so that VAR can check the goal or chance if the flag would have been wrong.
An offside attacker stood still inside the goal as the ball went in. Is it a goal?
Yes, unless that player committed an offside offence or a foul. Standing in the goal is not an offence in itself.
Why the rule exists
Penalising only involvement keeps the game flowing. A player who is offside but out of play has no effect, so stopping the game would punish nothing.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All football under the Laws | As above | L11.2, 11.4 |
From the rule book
IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 11.2 and 11.4 and the VAR protocol, in force from 1 July 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: IFAB Laws of the Game (PDF).