Question Number: 33602

Law 17 - The Corner Kick 8/27/2019

RE: Rec Under 12

Adam of Loomis, Ca USA asks...

In regards to offsides and corner kicks - once a corner kick has been done, at what point can the offensive team be liable for an offsides call? Obviously they cant be during the corner kick, but how about after that? Does it reset after a defender has control of the ball? Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Adam
Attackers cannot be called offside from the initial kick at the corner kick however after that kick on the next touch / play by an attacker offside will apply as normal. It is difficult to be in an offside position anyway from the kick particularly if the ball is placed on the goal line.
So for example the defending team has only the goalkeeper on the goal line and the corner is kicked. Any attacker in an offside position from that kick cannot be called offside. However should that attacker play the ball onwards to a team mate who is in an offside position at that moment of that second touch will be called offside should that third receiving player interfere with play or an opponent.
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FYrp3LpwlGo
The header by #9 could not be offside either way as it was a corner kick and he was in an onside position from the kick. However he heads the ball on to a team mate who from that header was in an offside position. Once that PIOP interfered with the goalkeeper offside was correctly called.
Note who the video is paused at the moment of the header by # 9 which was to determine offside positions. At that moment of the header #6 was in an offside position.
Clearly an attacker cannot be offside from a deliberate play by a defender.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Adam,
Team mates of the corner kicker are only exempt from being offside from the actual kick itself. That's it.

At any subsequent touch of the ball by a team mate the normal rules on offside apply.

I'm not quite sure what you mean about a touch from a defender 'resetting' offside. A player cannot be offside from the corner kick and they can not be offside from a deliberate play by an opponent, so in that sense, nothing has been reset, an offside offence is still not an option.

It is only when the ball is touched again by a team mate after the corner, that a player is potentially liable for committing an offside offence.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Adam,

Offside consideration resets at every single offensive touch. The only touch where you can't be offside from is the one that puts it into play at a corner kick, goal kick or throw in.

So, at the moment the corner kick is taken, offside doesn't exist. The moment it touches another attacker, we now consider offside. So any attacker who is in an offside position at THAT point can now be penalised if they're involved in active play.

It works the exact same way with throw ins and goal kicks.