Offside is the rule that confuses players and parents more than any other. I took the referee training, and here’s the simple version I use with my players.
The Short Rule
An attacker is in an offside position if, at the moment a teammate passes the ball to them, they are in the other team’s half and closer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender (the goalkeeper usually counts as one).
Three Things That Surprise People
- It’s about the moment of the pass, not where you are when you receive it. Run past the defender after the ball is kicked and you’re fine.
- Being level is onside. Level with the second-to-last defender — or level with the ball — is OK.
- There’s no offside from a throw-in, a goal kick or a corner kick.
And It’s Only an Offence If You Get Involved
Standing in an offside position isn’t a foul by itself. It only gets called if you play the ball, block the goalkeeper’s view, or get in a defender’s way.
How to Stay Onside
Watch the last defender, not just the ball. Bend your run so you stay level until the pass is played — then explode. We practice this timing in lessons with a cone as the “defender,” and it clicks fast.
Small-sided games for the youngest age groups often don’t call offside at all — check your league’s rules.