where is offside on a football pitch? There is no marked offside line: the relevant line is set by the ball and the second-last opponent when a teammate plays or touches it. An attacker is only penalized if they are in an offside position and then become involved in play.
This guide shows how to picture that line, explains which parts of the body count, and clears up common exceptions such as goal kicks and throw-ins. You will also find simple examples for judging close calls and practical tips for watching or playing the rule correctly.
where is offside on a football pitch?
Offside is judged against an imaginary line across the pitch running through whichever is nearer the goal line: the ball or the second-last opponent. The line moves as players and the ball move. There is no painted offside line on the grass.
For an attacker to be in an offside position, they must be in the opponents’ half and nearer the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. The halfway line itself is not part of the opponents’ half. A player level with the halfway line is not in an offside position.
That position is assessed at the instant a teammate plays or touches the ball. It is not judged when the attacker receives the pass. If the attacker is level with the ball or the second-last opponent at that moment, they are onside.
Being in an offside position is not, by itself, an offense. The referee penalizes the player only if they then become involved in active play, interfere with an opponent, or gain an advantage from that position.
How to find the offside line
To judge a potential offside, look at three reference points: the attacking player, the ball, and the second-last opponent. Compare them at the moment the teammate touches or plays the ball, rather than when the pass arrives.
- Check the halfway line. The attacker must be in the opponents’ half. Standing on the halfway line or in their own half means they cannot be offside.
- Find the second-last opponent. Count opponents, not just defenders. The goalkeeper is often one of the two, but the goalkeeper’s position does not define the rule.
- Compare the attacker with the ball and that opponent. The attacker is in an offside position only if a qualifying part of their body is nearer the goal line than both reference points.
- Freeze the moment of the pass. Use the instant of the teammate’s touch to judge position. The attacker can sprint beyond the line afterward and still be onside if they were onside at that instant.
- Ask whether the player became involved. A player in an offside position is not penalized if they do not take part in the relevant action.
Imagine the second-last opponent is near the edge of the penalty area while the ball is farther from goal. The offside line follows the ball because it is nearer the goal line. If the ball moves closer to goal than that opponent, the line follows the opponent instead.
The assistant referee often runs level with the second-last opponent, or with the ball if it is nearer the goal line. That position helps the assistant judge the line, but the assistant must still watch the timing and the attacker’s involvement.
Which body parts count?
Only body parts that can legally score a goal count when deciding offside position. That means the head, body, and feet. Hands and arms do not count, including the goalkeeper’s hands and arms.
The upper boundary of the arm is treated as the bottom of the armpit for this purpose. In a close call, a shoulder can count if it is part of the body with which a player may legally play the ball. An arm that reaches forward does not put the player in an offside position.
Officials compare the nearest qualifying part of the attacker with the nearest qualifying part of the second-last opponent. A player can therefore be offside because a foot, head, or torso is ahead, even if most of their body appears level. A body part that cannot legally play the ball does not create an offside position.
When does being in that position become an offense?
The offside rule is about involvement, not simply where a player stands. If an attacker is in an offside position when a teammate plays the ball, the referee looks at what the attacker does next.
Interfering with play
This means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a teammate. An attacker who receives the pass from an offside position is normally penalized, even if they were not involved in the build-up before that pass.
Interfering with an opponent
A player can be penalized without touching the ball if their position affects an opponent’s ability to play it. Examples include clearly blocking an opponent’s view of the ball, challenging them for it, or making an obvious action that affects their chance to play it.
Simply being near an opponent is not automatically an offense. The referee considers whether the attacker actually obstructed, challenged, or otherwise affected the opponent. A player may also be penalized for clearly attempting to play a nearby ball when that action affects an opponent.
Gaining an advantage
An attacker can be penalized after the ball rebounds or deflects to them from an opponent, or after it comes to them from a deliberate save, if the relevant offside conditions are met. A save is an attempt to stop or deflect a ball that is going into or very close to the goal.
A deliberate play by an opponent can reset the offside phase. In broad terms, this means the opponent had a genuine opportunity to control and play the ball, rather than the ball merely glancing off them. The referee judges the action and circumstances; a touch alone does not always reset the situation.
Who is ahead? Common examples compared
| Situation at the teammate’s touch | Offside position? | Likely outcome | Best way to judge it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attacker is level with the second-last opponent | No | Play on if no other offense occurs | Level is onside |
| Attacker is beyond the second-last opponent, but behind the ball | No | Play on if no other offense occurs | They must be ahead of both the ball and opponent |
| Attacker is beyond both the ball and the second-last opponent in the opponents’ half | Yes | Offense only if they become involved | Check the instant of the pass, then involvement |
| Attacker is in their own half | No | Play on if no other offense occurs | The halfway line divides the halves |
| Attacker is ahead only by a hand or arm | No | Play on if no other offense occurs | Hands and arms are excluded |
| Attacker receives the ball directly from a throw-in | No offside offense | Play on, even if the player is beyond the line | Direct throw-in is an exception |
The table separates offside position from an offside offense. An attacker may be in an offside position yet have no impact on play. Another player can make the run and receive the ball, while the first attacker leaves it alone without affecting an opponent.
When offside does not apply
A player cannot be penalized for offside when receiving the ball directly from certain restarts. The main exceptions are:
- A goal kick
- A throw-in
- A corner kick
These exceptions apply to the player who receives the ball directly from the restart. If a teammate touches the ball afterward, the offside rule applies again at the next teammate’s touch.
There is also no offside offense if the attacker is level with the second-last opponent or level with the ball. Players may stand in an offside position without penalty if they do not become involved in active play.
Do not confuse a pass backward with an offside exception. The direction the ball travels does not decide whether a player is offside. The key is the attacker’s position and involvement when a teammate plays or touches the ball.
How the rule works during a match
The referee awards an indirect free kick for an offside offense. The kick is taken from the place where the player became involved in play, including the point where they interfered with an opponent or gained an advantage. The referee may delay the flag briefly if an assistant needs to see how the attack develops, particularly when a clear scoring chance is underway.
A flag or whistle does not mean that every attacker beyond the defensive line was offside. Officials judge the position of the player who becomes involved, at the relevant touch. They also consider whether a defender deliberately played the ball or whether it only deflected or rebounded.
Video review can help with close decisions in competitions that use it, but not every match has video assistant referees. Even with replay, the decision involves more than drawing a line: officials must identify the correct moment of the pass, which body parts count, and whether the attacker took part in play.
Common offside mistakes to avoid
Counting the goalkeeper as the automatic line
The goalkeeper is an opponent, but the rule refers to the second-last opponent. If the goalkeeper has moved upfield, another opponent may be closer to the goal line. Count all opponents in the relevant position rather than assuming the goalkeeper sets the line.
Judging where the attacker receives the ball
The decision is based on the teammate’s touch that sends or redirects the ball, not the later moment of control. A player can receive the ball beyond the defensive line without an offense if they were onside when it was played.
Thinking every forward pass is offside
A forward pass can be onside if the receiver is level with or behind the ball, level with the second-last opponent, or in their own half when the ball is played. A pass traveling backward can still lead to an offside offense if an attacker in an offside position becomes involved.
Assuming every defender’s touch resets play
A deliberate attempt by an opponent to play the ball can reset the phase, but a deflection or rebound does not automatically do so. A deliberate save also does not give an offside-positioned attacker a free chance to play the ball. These distinctions depend on the specific action.
Using a still image without checking the timing
A frame taken just before or after the teammate’s touch can make a close call look different. The most useful image is the one at the exact moment the ball is played or touched. Camera angles can also distort apparent distance, so a slanted broadcast view may not show whether a player is truly level.
Practical ways to judge or play the rule
If you are watching, pick out the second-last opponent and track the attacker who receives the ball. Then look back to the instant the pass was made. This is more reliable than judging the receiver’s position after they have sprinted onto the ball.
If you are an attacker, time your run so you are level with or behind the relevant line as your teammate plays the ball. You do not need to stay behind the defender after the pass; you can accelerate beyond them once the ball has been played, provided you were onside at the key instant.
If you are defending, stepping forward together can put opponents in an offside position, but it is not a guarantee of an offense. An attacker who stays out of play may not be penalized, and a poorly timed step can leave space behind the line. Communicate and move as a unit rather than relying on one defender’s position.
Useful viewing tip: follow the passer’s foot or other contact with the ball, not just the ball’s flight. The contact identifies the moment officials use to judge the attacker’s position. For a close replay, pause at that touch first, then compare the attacker with the ball and second-last opponent.
where is offside on a football pitch? There is no fixed marking: judge the attacker against the ball and the second-last opponent at the instant a teammate plays or touches it. An offside position becomes an offense only when the player gets involved in play.
For a close call, freeze the moment of the pass, check whether the attacker is in the opponents’ half, and look for involvement. If you are making a run, stay level with or behind the line until your teammate plays the ball.