The offside line in football is usually level with the second-last opponent, but the ball can set the line if it is nearer the goal. A player is not offside just for standing beyond that line; they must also be in the opponents’ half and become involved in play when a teammate plays or touches the ball.
This guide explains how to find the line, when an offside position becomes an offense, and how restarts and deflections affect the call. Clear examples will help you understand why a player can look beyond the defenders yet still be onside—and why a goalkeeper is not always the player who sets the line.
where is the offside line in football?
In association football, often called soccer, the offside line is an imaginary line across the field. It is set by whichever is nearer the opponents’ goal line: the ball or the second-last opponent. An attacker must be level with or behind that reference point when a teammate plays or touches the ball to avoid being in an offside position.
The line is not always the same as the line of the defenders. If the ball is closer to the goal than the second-last opponent, the ball sets the reference point instead. If the second-last opponent is closer to the goal than the ball, that opponent sets it.
Think of the rule as a comparison among three things at one particular moment: the attacker, the ball, and the second-last opponent. The attacker is in an offside position only if they are in the opponents’ half and a relevant part of their body is nearer the goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.
What counts as the second-last opponent?
The rule counts opponents, not just defenders. The goalkeeper is often the last opponent, but that is not guaranteed. If the goalkeeper has moved upfield, another opponent may be last, and the player before them may set the line.
For the offside decision, the referee considers the head, body, or feet. Arms and hands do not count, including a goalkeeper’s hands. The boundary is the top of the arm at the bottom of the armpit. A player whose relevant body parts are level with the second-last opponent is onside.
How to check an offside position step by step
To judge an attacking move, first identify when the teammate played or touched the ball. Then check where the attacker was at that instant. Do not judge the attacker’s position when they receive the pass; by then, they may have moved several yards.
- Find the moment of the teammate’s play. Use the instant the ball is played or touched by a teammate, not the instant it reaches the intended receiver.
- Check the halfway line. The attacker must be in the opponents’ half. Standing on the halfway line does not count as being in the opponents’ half for offside purposes.
- Identify the reference point. Compare the ball with the second-last opponent. The one nearer the opponents’ goal line sets the offside line.
- Compare the attacker’s position. If the attacker’s head, body, or feet are nearer the goal line than both the ball and the reference opponent, the attacker is in an offside position. Being level is onside.
- Decide whether the attacker becomes involved. An offside position alone is not an offense. The referee must also judge whether the player interferes with play, interferes with an opponent, or gains an advantage.
These checks explain why a player can run past the defense after a pass and still be onside. If they were level with or behind the offside line at the moment the pass was played, their later position does not make the pass offside.
Offside position is not the same as an offside offense
A player can stand in an offside position without breaking the rule. The offense happens only if that player becomes involved in active play in one of the ways described by the Laws of the Game. This distinction is central: simply being beyond the line is not enough for the referee to stop play.
Interfering with play
A player interferes with play by playing or touching the ball after a teammate has played it. For example, an attacker beyond the line who runs onto a through ball and kicks it has become involved. If the ball rolls through to an onside teammate instead, the offside-positioned player is not automatically penalized just for being nearby.
Interfering with an opponent
An attacker may be penalized without touching the ball if their position affects an opponent’s ability to play it. Examples include blocking an opponent’s line of vision, challenging them for the ball, or clearly attempting to play a nearby ball in a way that affects the opponent.
Simply standing in an offside position is not always enough to count as interference. The referee considers what the player actually does and whether it impacts an opponent. That is why a player near a goalkeeper may be penalized for screening the keeper, while another player in a similar position may not be if they do not affect the play.
Gaining an advantage from a rebound or save
A player in an offside position can be penalized for playing the ball after it rebounds or deflects from an opponent, the goalpost, or the crossbar. The same applies when the ball comes to them after a deliberate save by an opponent. A save is an attempt to stop a ball that is going into or very close to the goal.
A rebound is not the same as an opponent deliberately playing the ball. That difference matters because a qualifying deliberate play by an opponent can reset the offside situation, while a deflection or save generally does not. The next section explains the distinction.
How deliberate play, deflections, and saves affect the line
Offside is judged from a teammate’s play, but a later action by an opponent can change which attacking players may legally play the ball. If an opponent deliberately plays the ball, an attacker who was previously in an offside position is generally not penalized for then receiving it. The opponent’s action starts a new phase for the offside decision.
Not every contact by an opponent counts as deliberate play. A ricochet, accidental deflection, or deliberate save does not reset the offside position. The referee considers whether the opponent had control or a realistic opportunity to play the ball, rather than treating every touch as a fresh start.
A deliberate play can still count even if the opponent makes a poor pass or mishits the ball. The key is whether the opponent intentionally played it with a genuine opportunity to control or direct it. A player who merely gets struck by a ball they could not reasonably play has not necessarily made a deliberate play.
This is one of the rule’s most commonly misunderstood details. A defender’s touch does not automatically put every attacker onside. If it is only a deflection or save, an attacker who was offside when the teammate last played the ball can still be penalized for becoming involved.
Offside exceptions at goal kicks, throw-ins, and corners
A player cannot be penalized for being offside when they receive the ball directly from certain restarts. The exceptions are a goal kick, a throw-in, and a corner kick. The word directly matters: the exemption applies to the player receiving the ball from that restart, not to every later pass in the move.
| Restart or situation | Offside applies? | Practical guide |
|---|---|---|
| Goal kick | No, not directly from the goal kick | An attacker can receive the kick beyond the defenders without being penalized for offside. |
| Throw-in | No, not directly from the throw-in | A receiver may stand beyond the second-last opponent when the throw is taken. |
| Corner kick | No, not directly from the corner | An attacker can receive the corner near goal without an offside call. |
| Free kick, including an indirect free kick | Yes | The usual offside position and involvement rules apply. |
| Pass or touch during open play | Yes | Judge the attacker’s position when their teammate plays or touches the ball. |
If a teammate receives the ball directly from one of the exempt restarts and then passes it, that later pass is judged under the normal rule. The receiver of the later pass must be onside at the moment it is played. The exception is not a permanent offside-free zone.
Examples that make the offside line easier to see
The attacker is level with the defender
A forward is level with the second-last opponent when a teammate passes the ball. The forward is onside, even if they sprint ahead and collect it after the defender has turned. Being level with the line is allowed.
The ball is ahead of the defenders
A midfielder carries the ball toward goal, with the ball nearer the goal line than every opponent. A teammate runs ahead of the ball and receives a forward pass. The teammate can be onside if they are not beyond the ball when it is played, even if they are past the defenders.
The attacker is beyond the line but does not affect play
A winger stays in an offside position while a teammate passes to a different attacker. If the winger neither plays the ball nor affects an opponent, the referee may allow play to continue. The winger’s position alone is not an offense.
A defender deflects the pass
A forward is offside when a teammate plays a pass. A defender sticks out a leg, and the ball changes direction before reaching the forward. If the contact is a deflection rather than a deliberate play, the forward can still be penalized for playing the ball.
A defender deliberately controls and plays the ball
A defender has time and a genuine chance to play a pass, deliberately tries to control it, and sends it to an attacker who had been in an offside position. In general, the attacker is not penalized simply for receiving the ball after that deliberate play. A deliberate save is different and does not create the same reset.
What players and coaches should do during a match
Attackers should time their runs around the teammate’s touch, not around where they expect the ball to arrive. A short pause or change of pace can help keep the run onside. If the attacker is level with the line when the pass is played, they are eligible to continue the run.
Defenders should understand that stepping forward does not automatically create an offside offense. The attacker still has to be in an offside position at the moment of a teammate’s play and become involved. A rushed step can leave defenders vulnerable if the pass is played before they move.
For coaches explaining the call, freeze the action at the passer’s contact with the ball. Draw or imagine a line through the ball and the second-last opponent, using whichever is nearer the goal. Then check the attacker’s position and involvement separately. Keeping those questions separate prevents the common mistake of calling every player beyond the defense offside.
Assistant referees also have to judge timing and involvement in real time. If an attacker is in an offside position but not yet involved, the assistant may wait to see what happens before raising the flag. This lets play continue if an onside teammate reaches the ball instead.
Common offside mistakes to avoid
- Judging where the attacker receives the ball: The key position is at the moment the teammate plays or touches it.
- Assuming the goalkeeper sets the line: Count all opponents. The goalkeeper may not be the last or second-last opponent.
- Counting arms as body parts: Arms and hands do not make a player offside or onside.
- Calling an offense based only on position: The player must become involved in an applicable way.
- Treating every defender touch as a reset: Deflections and deliberate saves do not have the same effect as a qualifying deliberate play.
- Thinking the ball must travel forward: A pass can go sideways or backward and still lead to an offside offense if a teammate in an offside position becomes involved.
The direction of the pass is not the test. What matters is the attacker’s position relative to the ball and the second-last opponent when a teammate plays or touches it, followed by whether the attacker becomes involved.
The offside line is set by whichever is nearer the opponents’ goal: the ball or the second-last opponent. An attacker must be in the opponents’ half and beyond that line at the moment of a teammate’s play, then become involved before an offside offense occurs.
For the next close call, pause the action at the passer’s touch and compare the attacker with the ball and second-last opponent. Remember that being level is onside, and a defender’s deflection does not automatically reset the play.