Question Number: 15133

Law 11 - Offside 4/7/2007

RE: Rec Under 19

Charlie of Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA asks...

This really isn't a question. According to FIFA's Laws of the Game, a player cannot be offsides on a throw in, corner kick, or goal kick. Does this mean that if Team A is kicking a goal kick and a player from Team A kicks the ball across the field to a teammate already in an offsides position, no offense is called?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

It literally means that a player cannot be offside directly from a goal kick. So, if a player were in the offside position and a goal kick was taken, and the player who was in an offside position received the ball directly from a goal kick he would not be offside.

However, if the player was in an offside position when the goal kick was taken, and subsequently a teammate played the ball while the attacker was still in an offside position -- and then that player became involved in active play then he WOULD be offside.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

It is wise to remember that offside is a two part thing, position and offence. The Law stipulates:

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
a goal kick or
a throw-in or
a corner kick

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

To clarify. Yes, you are correct. It doesn't matter where a teammate is at a goal kick. If he recieves the ball directly there can be no offside

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Charlie,
I think your use of the word "across" rather than "downfield"
created an impression this was an indirect route for the ball to get to an offside positioned player!
goal kick TO a player then across to an offside player! That would be incorrect!

The ball literally goes directly from goal kick TO offside positioned teammate! There is no application of involvement because we disreguard offside position at the taking of the goal kick as it is considered (the last touch of the ball by a teammate ).

Once a player recieves the ball from that goal kick the offside phase of play is recalibrated as that recieving of the ball NOW becomes the last touch of the ball by a teammate and offside position is then established where no exemption applies, those who are at that moment offside positioned, if they become involved in play could be quilty of offside!
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15150