Offside position and offside offence are different things
A first-time viewer's guide to the question that comes before the flag.
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Start with two questions
First ask where the attacker was when a teammate played or touched the ball. Then ask whether that attacker became involved in active play. IFAB’s offside law distinguishes position from an offence; standing in an offside position is not enough on its own.
The position test concerns the attacking half and the relationship to both the ball and the second-last opponent. Hands and arms do not determine the position. Involvement can include playing the ball or interfering with an opponent.
Watch the pass, not only the finish
A useful viewing habit is to rewind to the teammate’s touch. Looking only at where the scorer stands when the ball enters the goal can answer the wrong question.
For example, imagine an attacker running forward after a pass. The fact that the attacker is beyond defenders at the finish does not tell you where they were at the relevant earlier moment. Pause the sequence at the pass before reaching a conclusion.
Leave room for the full decision
There are additional rules about rebounds, deliberate play and interference. A short explainer cannot resolve every disputed clip, especially when the angle hides important positions.
Use this guide to identify the right questions while watching, then consult IFAB’s full law for the situation. It is more useful than treating every forward beyond a defender as automatically offside.
Illustrative cover image: Pexels. It does not document a specific match, named player or ASG product test.
Sources & verification
Last verified:
Official source
IFAB: Law 11, offside
