Q&A for How to Understand Offside in Soccer (Football)

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If I am offside and I get the ball by an opponent, is it still offsides?

Community Answer

No, if an opponent passes the ball backwards to an attacker in an offside position, it is not offside.

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Question

What if the last touch is from the opponent team and the offside player gets the ball? Would the player then be considered offside or not?

Community Answer

If the attacking team kicks it and it brushes the defender, it is considered offside.

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Question

Can my hands put me offside?

Community Answer

No, your body must be in front of the defender. Otherwise, it's counted as in-line with the second last defender.

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Question

If an attacking player is in an offside position, but the player does not touch the ball, will he or she receive an offside penalty?

Community Answer

The player will not be penalized unless he or she interferes with play, for example by preventing an opponent from reaching the ball.

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Question

If an opponent goalkeeper misses the ball and comes to attackers who then hit the ball, would that be considered offside?

Community Answer

Only if the attacker who played the ball was in an offside position when the ball was played forward (and was then subsequently "missed" by the goalkeeper).

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Question

If my keeper takes a goal kick and I score from an offside position, would the goal stand?

Republicson

Community Answer

Yes, players are allowed to be in an offside position when receiving a goal kick. This can often be confused with a goalie's punt upfield, which is not protected, and an offensive player can be guilty of offside when receiving this pass/punt.

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Question

How do I get back onside?

Community Answer

There must be two players in front of you before your teammate kicks the pass that you are to receive. To be onside, you must get behind those players before the ball is kicked to you. Or a defendant must control the ball (not just touch) before you do, which resets the offside rule.

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Question

If a defender tries to clear a ball and it deflects off an attacking player to a player who is in an offside position at the time the defense has possession and attempts to play the ball, is the attacking play still considered offside?

Republicson

Community Answer

This is likely a "yes". The ball only has to be "touched" by an (offensive) teammate then received by the player who was in an offside position at the time the ball was touched by the teammate.

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Question

If a forward is in an offside position and the ball comes from a defender to the forward, is the forward offside?

Community Answer

No, the forward is not considered offside as long as the defender is the last player that plays the ball.

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Question

Can I be declared offside due to a headed pass?

Community Answer

Yes, any pass during regular play can lead to an off-sides call. Free kicks can as well. Throw ins, however, can not result in an off-sides call.

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Question

Can I be offside during a penalty kick?

Republicson

Community Answer

Not technically as all players are required to be "behind" the ball, or further from the goal line than the ball/penalty mark. If a player were to move past this mark before the kick was taken, it could be considered an infraction by that team and could result in a goal being disallowed, retaken, or a free kick being given to the other team, depending on who does it and whether the kick scores.

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Question

If a player is in an offside position but not receiving the ball, and then is passed to, is this offsides?

Republicson

Community Answer

If a player in an offside position is passed to, they need to make an obvious attempt to avoid the ball. Usually players do this by putting their hands up and slowing down, or by running off the field past the goal line to avoid an infraction. The moment the ball is played with control by a defender, the offensive player can re-engage.

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Question

If I'm offside while my team has the ball but I check back onside before the pass comes to me, am I still offside?

Republicson

Community Answer

No, what matters is your onside/offside status at the time of the actual pass.

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Question

Do I have to play soccer in order to understand the rules?

Community Answer

No, but playing soccer can make it easier to understand the rules. Some people also find that they learn the rules faster through playing.

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Question

Is a red card compulsory?

Republicson

Community Answer

A red card would never be given in an offside situation. However, if you are given a red card, your exiting the vicinity of the field is compulsory.

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Question

If the defender is on the ground injured, is he covering offside for the attacking team?

Republicson

Community Answer

Yes, all defenders matter when marking the line for offside. A defender who is injured, tying his shoe, in the goal, or even off the field behind the goal line counts toward the 2 last defenders. In other words, this player could be "holding on" the attacking forward.

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Question

Am I offside if I stay in-line with the attacking striker (and ball) who has a one on one with the goalie, is behind the defense, if his shot misses and I tap it in?

Republicson

Community Answer

You are not offside in this position as the ball is closer to the goal line than you are, or even with you. The position of the other attacker is not important, only the position of the ball and the second to last defender. The ball is the offside line once it is between the second to last defender and the goal line.

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Question

If I pass to my strike partner and we're one-on-one with goal keeper and he scores, is that offside?

Community Answer

It depends on where he was when the ball was kicked to him. If he was ahead of the last defender when the ball was kicked, then he was offside. If he was behind the defender when the ball was kicked and he kept running, that is a goal.

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Question

Can a player ever be offside on a throw in?

Republicson

Community Answer

This question is often worded this way and hard to answer this way. A player is not "guilty of an offside infraction" if they are offside and receive the ball directly from a throw in. In other words, they are "allowed" to be offside in this situation. The same is true for a goal kick and corner kick.

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Question

Is it legal to pass the ball backwards to a player standing in an offside position?

Community Answer

Yes. You can only be offside by receiving a forward pass.

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Question

Can a yellow or red card be issued by a referee for a flagrant foul against one's own team mate, e.g. injuring a fellow defender with a high boot in attempting to clear the ball?

Republicson

Community Answer

Previously, this was a gray area. It would have to be unsporting conduct in general to be a yellow card and violent conduct to be a red card, but otherwise, nothing was called. An indirect free kick was given to the other team. According to the 2016 update of the Laws of the Game, the answer is an outright "yes," and a direct free kick (even a penalty kick) is given to the other team.

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Question

On a goal kick, the GK can kick it to his teammate past half-field in an offside position and that is not considered offsides?

Republicson

Community Answer

Correct. This is one of three exceptions, including throw-ins and corner kicks.

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Question

Am I allowed to receive a ball onside and dribble towards the offside to score a goal?

Republicson

Community Answer

Yes, you are allowed. An offside infraction only happens by a pass from a teammate, not by dribbling downfield.

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Question

Does soccer become more exciting when I understand the rules?

Community Answer

Not necessarily. But you might feel more satisfied if you know what's going on and how to interpret the referees' decisions.

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Question

Can you be offside when your own goalkeeper has possession of the ball and punts it?

Republicson

Community Answer

Yes, this would be an offside infraction if you were in an offside position at the time of the punt by your goalkeeper.

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Question

Am I in an offside position if the ball comes from the goal keeper?

Community Answer

No. You are onside since the ball is in front of you.

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Question

If the goalkeeper somehow comes out past the last attacking player with a defender still between the attacker and receives the ball is that attacker offside?

Republicson

Community Answer

Yes. The rule is not affected by who the goalkeeper is. What matters is how many defenders are closer to the goal line than the attacker, regardless of whether one of those defenders is the goalkeeper or not. When the keeper comes forward like this, leaving one defender behind them, then the keeper becomes the offside line, depending on the position of the ball.

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Question

In soccer, if the ball deflects off a defender and goes to an offside attacker who scores, does the goal count?

Republicson

Community Answer

If the attacker was offside at the time of the original pass by the teammate, then possibly. It depends on exactly what happened at the "deflection" by the defender. If that deflection was not deliberate or was a deliberate save, then the attacker is offside, no goal. If the deflection was a deliberate play on the ball, no offside, goal is good.

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Question

Who has the final decision to declare a player offside? The referee or assistant referee?

Tay_RES_06

Community Answer

The referee usually makes the final decision. When spectating, you will see the AR put the flag up, but the referee makes the final call.

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Question

If a ball comes off a defender accidentally to a player in offside position, is he deemed to be offside?

Republicson

Community Answer

Yes, but only because the defensive touch was accidental and only if the attacker was offside at the time of the original pass.

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