Question Number: 35654

Law 11 - Offside 8/14/2024

Footballer of -, - - asks...

Hello I have two questions.

If all players from a team have moved up to the goal they are attacking leaving their half of the field alone and suddenly someone from the defending team shoots the ball to a player who is currently standing all alone on the empty half of the field with an open goal. When the player receives the ball, is the player offside? (The player is all alone, even the GK is helping the team make a goal)

Another question.

I just want to confirm, can you be offside on all sorts of free kicks?

Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Lets take the second question first.
The only time offside does not apply at a restart is from a goal kick, a corner kick or a throw in. Offside will apply at all other times including all free kicks.

On the first question it makes no difference if there is no defending players in their own half. If an attacker is in the attacking half with only the goalkeeper in that half the attacker is in an offside position and that player cannot get involved in active play by playing the ball last played / touched by a team mate.. The only way for that player to get onside is to move back over the half way line into the other half. A player cannot be in an offside position in their own half.

In addition a player cannot be called offside if the ball is played by an opponent. So if the lone attacker is clearly in an offside position and the ball is kicked by an opponent which is intercepted by a player in an offside position that is not offside. The ball has to be played / touched by a team mate for offside to apply.

There was a myth going around a few years back that if all outfield players had left their half that in some way offside did not apply in that half. That was totally incorrect. Players needs to have two opponents between them and the goal line or behind the ball or in their own half to be in an onside position.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi there football aficionado,
Offside is essentially a TWO Part equation with several variables to each part
(1) POSITION (It is NOT an offence to be offside positioned!)
(2) INVOLVEMENT (only if restricted by position is it an INDFK to participate in play!)

Variables:
POSITION is determined at the moment a teammate plays/contacts the ball.
Think of a FREEZE FRAME picture that shows the exact position of every player & the ball on the FOP (field of play).
If the player is within their own half, offside position is impossible, there is no restriction!

However, if you are inside the opposition half of the FOP & you are CLOSER to the opposing goal line than either the 2nd last opponent or the BALL itself, at the moment a teammate plays/contacts the ball, you are in an offside position and are now RESTRICTED from getting involved and affecting play.

Here is an important tidbit!

A PIOP (player in an offside position) on their own, can NOT change their restricted status!
Only the opposition or team mates can fix their dilemma.
Certain conditions must change to remove the inability of non participation.
Given the match flows with considerable movement we must wait until the next or new onside team mate touch of the ball occurs this COULD possibly release the now former PIOP if he is no longer in an offside position
OR
the opposition has regained full operational control of the ball and thus lifts the restriction. OR
a 3rd option is of course a stoppage or the ball is out of play for a restart.

You can be offside positioned and fairly benefit from an offside position via a directly received ball from any of these 3 team mate restarts even if there is an accidental or deliberate redirect by the opposition
corner,
goal kick
or throw in.
You can also fairly benefit from an offside position, if the opposition has 100% ball control, that includes ANY free kick not just the 3 exemptions & during live play they deliberately or accidentally send the ball to an offside positioned attacker.

You can NOT benefit from an offside position if there is a redirect of the ball via a
(a)deliberate save by defender,
(b)deflection off of a defender
(c)rebound off of a defender or off the goal structure or corner post.
Essentially the opposition exhibits no direct control or possession of the ball to reset the offside restriction incurred earlier. Law 11 states this as, "gaining an advantage" and it is an INDFK for the defenders

Now the INDFK occurs from WHERE involvement occurs NOT where the PIOP was when he became RESTRICTED! It is a tad hard to grasp but a PIOP could actually be penalized in their own half for INVOLVEMENT. The case is a PIOP can not auto reset the restriction by returning to their own half. As mentioned a NEW teammate touch of the ball ONCE you have done so or the opposition had regained 100% control possession otherwise you could be the reason for the stoppage.

Cheers