What is Offside and How does VAR affect it?
An Association Football Referee Explains
“Was it offside? Is it his arm? What’s the ref doing here! VAR needs to be banned!” Common shouts heard in the living room of every football fan around the world right now. Yes the age of Video Assistant Referee is here, and so are the growing pains which come along with it. However, one particular problem with VAR which has jumped out is the infamous and enigmatic Offside Rule. Thus, as a referee I need to write this essay for the sake of myself, the game I love, and fellow lovers of the game.
Law 11, Offside, is broken down into 4 parts in the IFAB Laws of the Game 2020–21.
The first part, Offside Position, states:
It is not an offence to be in an offside position.
A player is in an offside position if:
any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half (excluding the halfway line) and
any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent
The hands and arms of all players, including the goalkeepers, are not considered.
A player is not in an offside position if level with the:
second-last opponent or
last two opponents
This part of Law 11 is ruling that it is not an offence to be in an offside position, by this it means that a player in the offside position will not get a card, warning, or any stoppage in the game for being in that position. Next, the law explains when is a player in an offside position. A player is offside if any part of their head, body, or feet is beyond the halfway line, in the oppositions half, and beyond the second-to-last defender; the only part of the body not considered is the hand. Example scenario, Attacker A and Attacker B are playing against Defender C and Defender D. Defender C and Defender D are in their own half, and Defender C is standing in front of Defender D. Therefore, Defender C is labeled as the second-to-last defender. A imaginary line called the offside line follows the second-to-last defender, in this case Defender C. Attacker A has crossed the halfway line and is now in the opposition half. Attacker A is standing behind Defender C and in front of Defender D, when the ball is last touched by a player. Therefore, Attacker A is beyond the offside line. The referee will, in his mind, “tag” or “mark” the player offside; nothing happens until the “tagged” player touches the ball, this bit will be explained later in more detail.
Furthermore, if a player is on the same line as the second-to-last defender or (in a scenario where the last and second-to-last defender are both on the same line) the last two defenders that player is not offside.
A clarification, the second-to-last defender is any opposition player who is the second-last defender. If a goalkeeper is the last player, then an outfield player is the second-to-last defender. If said goalkeeper moves in front of the outfield player, closer to the halfway line, than the goalkeeper would be the second-to-last defender and said outfield player would be the last defender. The imaginary offside line follows the second-to-last defender always, or if there are two defenders on the same line and no one behind them (closer to the goal line) then the offside line follows them. VAR should be able to distinguish the millimeters which separate the second to last defender from the last defender so this should not be a problem in the VAR powered leagues.
A second clarification regarding the hand, the hand in football begins at the middle of the arm pit, which is also the end of the shoulder, everything beyond that point and up till the finger tips is the hand. If the hand is beyond the offside line, the player cannot be marked as offside.
The second part of Law 11 explains when is Offside an offence. Offside Offence states:
A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalized on becoming involved in active play by:
interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or
interfering with an opponent by:
preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
challenging an opponent for the ball or
clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball
*The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used
or
gaining an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has:
rebounded or been deflected off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent
been deliberately saved by any opponent
A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball, including by deliberate handball, is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent.
A ‘save’ is when a player stops, or attempts to stop, a ball which is going into or very close to the goal with any part of the body except the hands/arms (unless the goalkeeper within the penalty area).
In situations where:
a player moving from, or standing in, an offside position is in the way of an opponent and interferes with the movement of the opponent towards the ball this is an offside offence if it impacts on the ability of the opponent to play or challenge for the ball; if the player moves into the way of an opponent and impedes the opponent’s progress (e.g blocks the opponent) the offence should be penalized under Law 12
a player in an offside position is moving towards the ball with the intention of playing the ball and is fouled before playing or attempting to play the ball, or challenging an opponent for the ball, the foul is penalized as it has occurred before the offside offence
an offence is committed against a player in an offside position who is already playing or attempting to play the ball, or challenging an opponent for the ball, the offside offence is penalized as it has occurred before the foul challenge
This part is explaining that if a player is tagged offside, and their teammate touches the ball, if then the tagged player were to be the next player to touch the ball, or obstruct an opponent in any way from touching the ball, or provide an advantage of any kind to their own team, the offside offence has occurred. The game must be paused and restarted with a freekick, awarded to the offended team.
Going back to the previous example scenario. Attacker A is in an offside position when Attacker B touches the ball. Attacker A is the very next player to touch the ball, the referee must stop the play and a freekick is awarded to the Defenders. Another example, same as before except a third Attacker E is added, Attacker A is once again in an offside position. Attacker B touches the ball and Attacker E, who is on the offside line but not beyond, gets the ball and begins running towards the opposition’s goal line. Attacker A simultaneously stands between Defender C and Attacker E. Attacker A has obstructed Defender C, during a play where Attacker A was tagged offside. Therefore, the referee must stop the play and award a free kick to the offended team because an offside offence has occurred. This is why sometimes, even when the offside player never touches the ball, the referee will stop the game and give an offside. This indicates that the referee believes that the offside player gave an advantage to their team; thus, the offside offence has occurred.
Another scenario within this example, Attacker A is in a offside position. Defender D touches the ball and Attacker is the very next player to touch the ball. Attacker A has not committed an offside offence, because the ball was touched by an opposition and not a teammate.
The third part of Law 11, No Offence, states:
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
a goal kick
a throw-in
a corner kick
If a player is in an offside position, and receives a ball from a goal kick, a throw-in, or a corner they are not offside. Notice how the rule does not mention say anything about if the specific set-pieces were taken by the team or opposition. Back to the previous example, Attacker A is in an offside position. Attacker B throws the ball in and Attacker A is the very next player to touch it, no offside offence has occurred.
Part 4 of Law 11, Offences and Sanctions, states:
If an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick where the offence occurred, including if it is in the player’s own half of the field of play.
A defending player who leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission shall be considered to be on the goal line or touchline for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play or until the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area. If the player left the field of play deliberately, the player must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play.
An attacking player may step or stay off the field of play not to be involved in active play. If the player re-enters from the goal line and becomes involved in play before the next stoppage in play, or the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area, the player shall be considered to be positioned on the goal line for the purposes of offside. A player who deliberately leaves the field of play and re-enters without the referee’s permission and is not penalized for offside and gains an advantage, must be cautioned.
If an attacking player remains stationary between the goalposts and inside the goal as the ball enters the goal, a goal must be awarded unless the player commits an offside offence or Law 12 offence in which case play is restarted with an indirect or direct free kick.
If an offside occurs the referee must award an in-direct free kick where the offside occurred, not where the player was originally tagged or marked offside or anywhere else.
If a defender leaves the field of play without referee permission, where ever the left from is where there official position is on the field of play. So if a defender walk behind the goal line, the goal line is their position. If a defender walks beyond the touchline, wherever they left the touch line from is their position. The offside line will be drawn accordingly. Example, Defender C is he second-to-last defender. He steps away beyond from the touchline, without the referee’s permission. The point where he left from is where the offside line will be drawn, unless a defender steps closer to the goal line, behind the offside line, but in front of the last defender. If that happens than the offside line is on this defender, since they are second-to-last.
An attacking player cannot just walk beyond the goal line without the referee’s permission, the turn around and run into the field and touch the ball. They will have committed an offside offence, and will be given a warning in addition to the freekick against them.
If an attacking player is just standing or is stationary behind the goal line, inside the goal or behind the goal post, and a goal is scored it will stand, unless the offside player commits one of the previously explained offside offences or a foul. If that player does commit an offence and depending on the type of offence either an in-direct or direct free kick is awarded. But if they are doing nothing, just standing there, the goal will stand.
A clarification, the goal lines are the two horizontal lines at either ends of the field. The touch lines, are the vertical lines on either sides of the field.
VAR use has examples where players have been marked offside because the hand was in an offside position. There have also been other instances of the wrong decision being made, but the hand-offside is the most glaring one. If a player has the middle of their armpit on the offside line, then they are not offside.
Significantly, there have been many instances of the right call being made; however, many fans and so called “experts” seem to think otherwise. They shout and argue how the correct decision is wrong. Well, to those “experts” and fans this essay should help. This is the most difficult rule to master for any referee, it takes a lot of skill and experience to watch the last touch of the ball and track the player who is tagged offside at the same time. VAR should be there to make this much easier, and it has. There are some bad instances; however, for the most part it has helped massively. Does the combination of VAR and the offside rule kill some of the enjoyment from the game, yes to an extent. However, the game was worse off without them. There was a time when offside did not exist, and football involved chucking the ball up to a player who was blocking the goalkeeper and scoring tap-ins. Let us not go back to that past, let us instead work to educate ourselves on the offside rule, so that we may hold VAR accountable. There might be some innovation left to do to make this rule even more perfect, the introduction of VAR is one of those innovations.
However, no matter what, the final call rests with the referee because they are the only figure in the game who has power. To find out why, and what is the relationship between the referee and VAR you may read (click) this essay, “VAR from the Perspective of a Football Referee.”
Here is a link to Law 11, if you wish to read it for yourself, provided by the Football Association (click this.)
