When is a player offside?

Law 11 (2026/27)

Offside position (not an offence in itself): any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents' half (excluding the halfway line) and nearer the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.

• Hands and arms of all players, including goalkeepers, don't count. The upper boundary of the arm is the bottom of the armpit.
• A player level with the second-last opponent, or the last two opponents, is not in an offside position.

Offside offence: a player in an offside position when the ball is played or touched by a team-mate is penalised only for becoming involved in active play by:

• interfering with play: playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate
• interfering with an opponent: clearly blocking their line of vision, challenging them for the ball, clearly attempting to play a nearby ball when this impacts on them, or an obvious action that clearly impacts on their ability to play the ball
• gaining an advantage: playing the ball or interfering with an opponent after it rebounds or deflects off the post, crossbar, a match official or an opponent, or after a deliberate save

A player in an offside position who receives the ball from an opponent who deliberately played it (including a deliberate handball, but not a deliberate save) is not considered to have gained an advantage.

No offence if the player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick.

Sanction: indirect free kick where the offence occurred, even in the player's own half.