In association football, your hands and arms do not count when officials decide whether you are in an offside position. Your head, torso, and feet can count, with the arm boundary set at the bottom of the armpit.
That distinction is only one part of the rule. A player is not penalized just for being in an offside position; the player must also become involved in play. Here’s how to tell which body parts count, when an offside offense occurs, and how the rule applies to goalkeepers, rebounds, and restarts.
which part of the body is not offside in football?
The hands and arms do not count when an official judges whether a player is in an offside position. The head, torso, and feet do count. Under the Laws of the Game, the arm’s upper boundary is the line at the bottom of the armpit.
This rule applies to attackers and defenders, including the goalkeeper. A goalkeeper’s hands do not count as a body part that can place an opponent onside or offside. However, the goalkeeper’s head, torso, and feet do count, just like those of any other player.
For example, if an attacker’s fingertips are closer to the goal line than the defenders, that alone does not make the attacker offside. If the attacker’s head, torso, or foot is beyond the relevant line, the player may be in an offside position. The assistant referee considers the body parts that can legally play the ball, not every part of the body.
How officials judge an offside position
Officials assess an attacker’s position at the instant a teammate plays or touches the ball. They compare the attacker with two reference points: the ball and the second-last opponent. The attacker is in an offside position only if a qualifying body part is in the opponents’ half and nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both reference points.
The goal line is the line at the end of the field. “Nearer to the goal line” means closer to the opponents’ goal than the ball or the second-last opponent. The player’s head, torso, or feet are considered for this comparison. Arms are excluded, even when they extend beyond those reference points.
The halfway line matters
A player cannot be in an offside position while in their own half. The halfway line is part of each team’s own half, so a player level with that line is not in an offside position. The player must have a qualifying body part inside the opponents’ half as well as beyond both the ball and the second-last opponent.
This can matter during a fast counterattack. An attacker may run beyond the defenders but remain onside if the attacker is still in their own half when a teammate plays the ball. The official judges the position at the moment of the pass, not when the attacker receives it.
It is the second-last opponent, not always the last defender
People often say an attacker must stay behind the “last defender,” but that phrase is a shortcut, not the exact rule. The reference point is the second-last opponent. The goalkeeper often occupies one of those two positions, but not always. If the goalkeeper has moved upfield, another opponent may be the last or second-last player.
The ball is also a reference point. If the attacker is level with or behind the ball when a teammate plays it, the attacker is not in an offside position, even if fewer than two opponents are between the attacker and the goal line. This is common when a player passes backward or runs ahead of the ball before receiving a pass.
Being in an offside position is not automatically an offense
An attacker can stand in an offside position without the referee stopping play. The player commits an offense only after becoming involved in active play in one of the ways defined by the rule. This distinction explains why an assistant referee may wait before raising a flag when an attack is still developing.
An offside offense generally occurs if the player in that position:
- Plays or touches the ball after a teammate passes or touches it.
- Interferes with an opponent, such as by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or challenging them for the ball.
- Gains an advantage from the position, for example by playing a ball that rebounds to them from an opponent, the goal frame, or a goalkeeper’s save.
Simply standing near a defender does not always count as interfering. The key issue is whether the offside-positioned player affects the opponent’s ability to play the ball or clearly challenges the opponent. The referee judges the actions in the moment, including whether the player blocks a view, contests the ball, or makes an obvious movement that affects an opponent.
A player can also be onside when the pass is made and move into a position beyond the defenders afterward. In that case, receiving the ball does not become an offside offense just because the player is now closer to the goal. The important comparison is the player’s position when a teammate played or touched the ball.
Which body parts count, and how they compare
This table separates the body-part test from the other parts of the rule. It helps prevent a common mix-up: a body part can count for judging position, but being in an offside position still does not automatically mean an offense has occurred.
| Body part or situation | Counts for position? | Practical result | Best for remembering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Yes | Can place an attacker in an offside position | Include it in the comparison |
| Torso | Yes | Can place an attacker in an offside position | Include the body, not just the feet |
| Feet | Yes | Can place an attacker in an offside position | Check them against the ball and second-last opponent |
| Hands and arms | No | Do not make a player offside by extending beyond the line | Use the bottom of the armpit as the arm boundary |
| Player level with the reference point | No offside position | Level is onside | Look for a clear advantage beyond the line |
| Player in their own half | No offside position | The position is onside | Check the halfway line first |
When a deflection or save changes the decision
A touch by a defender does not always reset the offside situation. If a ball played by a teammate reaches an attacker after a defender merely deflects it, the attacker may still be penalized if they were in an offside position at the original pass and then become involved.
A deflection is an accidental touch made while a defender tries to stop or redirect the ball, without gaining control of it. The touch does not automatically turn the attacker’s position into a new, onside situation. Officials consider the nature of the defender’s action and whether the defender had a genuine opportunity to control the ball.
A deliberate play by a defender can have a different effect. If the defender deliberately plays the ball and it goes to an opponent who had been in an offside position, that opponent is generally not penalized for offside. The rule treats deliberate play differently from an accidental deflection. A save is another special case: a goalkeeper’s or another player’s save does not reset offside, and an attacker who gains an advantage from the rebound can be penalized.
A useful distinction: “The defender touched it” is not enough to settle the decision. The question is whether the defender deliberately played the ball or whether the contact was a deflection or save. A deliberate play involves an action in which the player had some control and could pass, gain possession, or clear the ball; the referee still judges the circumstances.
Restarts that do not lead to an offside offense
A player cannot be penalized for being in an offside position when receiving the ball directly from certain restarts. These exceptions apply to a direct reception from a:
- Goal kick
- Throw-in
- Corner kick
“Directly” matters. If another player touches the ball before it reaches the attacker, the usual offside rules can apply at the moment of that intervening touch. For instance, an attacker can receive a ball straight from a teammate’s throw-in without an offside offense, even if positioned beyond the defenders.
These exceptions do not mean a player can ignore every other law. A player could still commit another offense, such as interfering with an opponent in a way that violates a different rule. The exceptions simply mean an offside offense is not called for receiving the ball directly from those specified restarts.
Common offside mistakes to avoid
Assuming any part of the body counts
An arm beyond the defenders does not make the attacker offside. Use the head, torso, and feet for the position test, and exclude the hands and arms. Remember that the arm boundary runs from the bottom of the armpit, not from the shoulder.
Calling offside as soon as a pass is made
A player may be in an offside position but never touch the ball or affect an opponent. Position alone is not the offense. Watch what the player does after the pass and whether that action involves them in active play.
Checking position when the ball arrives
The decision is based on the instant a teammate plays or touches the ball. A player who was onside at that instant may run beyond the defenders and still receive the pass legally. A later position does not change the original comparison.
Using only the last defender as the line
Officials use the second-last opponent and the ball, not simply the last defender. If the goalkeeper is out of position, the identity of the second-last opponent may surprise spectators. Compare the attacker with both reference points.
Thinking every defensive touch resets the play
A deflection or save does not necessarily cancel an attacker’s offside position. A defender must deliberately play the ball for the play to be treated differently under this part of the rule. This is why a rebound can still lead to an offside call.
A simple way to assess a possible offside
When watching a match or learning the rule, use these steps in order. Separating the position check from the involvement check makes close decisions easier to follow.
- Find the moment of the teammate’s touch. Freeze the action when the teammate plays or touches the ball. Do not judge from the moment the attacker receives it.
- Check which half the attacker is in. If the attacker is in their own half or level with the halfway line, there is no offside position.
- Compare the right body parts. Look at the attacker’s head, torso, and feet. Ignore the hands and arms, using the bottom of the armpit as the boundary.
- Compare the attacker with the ball and second-last opponent. The attacker must be nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both to be in an offside position. Being level with either reference point is onside.
- Ask whether the attacker became involved. Look for a touch, a challenge or obstruction affecting an opponent, or an advantage from a rebound, save, or other qualifying play.
- Check the type of restart and any intervening touch. Direct receptions from a goal kick, throw-in, or corner kick are exempt from an offside offense.
This sequence is also a useful way to explain a decision to a young player. First establish where the player was when the pass happened. Then decide whether that position was offside and whether the player actually became involved.
What the offside rule means for players
Attackers can reduce the risk of being caught offside by timing their runs to the pass rather than simply racing ahead of the defense. A player can move toward the halfway line or stay level with the second-last opponent, then accelerate as the teammate plays the ball. The goal is to be in an onside position at the critical touch.
Defenders may use a coordinated step forward, but it requires clear timing and communication. If one defender stays deeper, that player may keep an attacker onside. Since the ball is also a reference point, defenders must consider an attacker who is behind the ball, not only the players near the goal.
For spectators, the most reliable habit is to watch the passer’s touch and the attacker’s qualifying body parts at the same time. Focus on the head, torso, and feet rather than an outstretched arm. Then wait to see whether the attacker participates in play, because a player in an offside position may have no effect on the action at all.
The key answer to which part of the body is not offside in football is the hands and arms. Officials assess the head, torso, and feet, and the arm boundary is the bottom of the armpit.
To judge a possible call, check the attacker’s position when a teammate plays the ball, compare it with the ball and second-last opponent, then look for active involvement. Keep that order in mind when watching a match or timing your own runs.