Question Number: 33588

Law 11 - Offside 8/20/2019

RE: Competitive Adult

Jason of Taber, Alberta Canada asks...

Offside! A free kick is taken, players A&B are in an offside position,when the ball is played, player C runs past the wall and past A&B the ball hits player C in the back dropping to player A who was originally offside when the free kick was taken and Player A scores. Does the ball hitting player C in the back then make A&B onside? Or due to their original positioning in an offside position gaining an advantage, should it be called offside.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jason
If player C was in an onside position when the ball was played then his * touch* begins a new phase of play. As Player A and B are behind C at that touch they are onside and entitled to participate in active play.
Also this can be a set play with attacking players positioning themselves beyond the defensive line in an offside position waiting for the second phase of play from an onside player.
The benefit is that the offside players can be difficult to pick up or mark on the second phase of play.
Opening line of Law 11 is that it is not an offence to be in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Jason,
Assuming A, B & C are all team mates, then as you describe this, there is no offside offence here. Offside is re-evaluated every time the ball touches a player. If players A&B are not closer to their opponent's goal line than the ball when the ball touches a team mate, they are not in an offside position.

For them to fulfil the criteria for gaining advantage, the ball would have to rebound from an opponent which, if A, B &C are all team mates, has not happened in the situation you describe.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Jason,

if player C was a team mate and was onside and during the ball flight he ran to a position which placed players A and B onside that new contact of the ball off player C is a New touch by a team mate thus it resets offside and player A is free to play the ball.


If player C was a defender then A and B as attackers could be guilty of gaining an advantage .

Cheers