What is the offside rule and how does it work?
THE offside rule is one of the most fundamental laws of football.But many are still confused about how it actually works. Here SunSport takes a look at the rule and how it works.
The assistant referee will raise their flag to make the referee, players and the fans aware a player is in an offside positionCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
What is the offside rule?
If you have always been confused by offsides, don’t worry, the law has become more vague and confusing in recent years.
The interpretation of the offside rule has changed over the decades to help the attacking team, however the essential body of the ruling has never changed.
The offside law dates back to football rules made by English public schools in the nineteenth century.
The rule states that an attacking player is in an offside position if any part of their body – except hands and arms – is in the opposing team’s half and there’s no opposing player between them and the goalkeeper before the ball is played forward.
Video Assistant Referee or VAR has changed the way offsides are officiated
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Being in an offside position is not an offence in itself, the moment the player in the offside position plays the ball or attempts to play the ball, then they will be seen as “actively involved in play” and that is when the offence occurs.
A player can also be flagged offside if the ball is played to them from their own half and the player is standing in the opposing half the moment the ball is played.
What happens after offside is called?
Being ruled offside on a football pitch is an offence.
When a player is flagged the only sanction is that the ball is given to your opponents to restart play in the form of a free kick in their own half of the pitch.
A player can only be judged to be in an offside position if they are in the opponents half when the ball is played forward.
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So has the offside law changed over the years?
The old rule stated no attacking player should be in front of the ball when it was kicked forward.
But the law has changed and adapted over time to make it more entertaining, understanding for fans and to allow attacking players more opportunities to score goals.
The game law makers IFAB (International Football Association Board) have adjusted the rule saying a player will be considered to be offside when they make a clear attempt to play the ball, be close to the ball and have an impact on the opponent, or to make an obvious action to have an impact of the opponents.
In other words if you are offside you have to stay still and allow play to continue while you move back into an onside position.
And now with VAR in play, offside is more clear-cut than it used to be.
What are semi-automatic offsides?
A new technology known as Semi-Automatic Offside Technology (SOAT) was trialled in the Champions League for the first time on Tuesday November, 16, 2022.
The technology has been brought in to make offside decisions quicker and more accurate.
It uses several cameras to track the movement of the players, as well as the ball.
The semi-automated offside technology is going to be used at the Qatar World Cup.
The UEFA chief refereeing officer, Roberto Rosetti, said it will “enhance the flow of the game and the consistency of the decisions”. More
