“Hey, he’s OFFSIDE ref!”

How often do we hear fans and coaches offering that tidbit of advice from the sidelines? 

We all know that a player is in an offside position if they are across the half-line, and closer to the opponent ‘s goal than either the ball or the second to the last defender.  The offside violation prevents an attacker from camping behind the defense and gaining an advantage from that position.  And we also understand that it’s not an offense in itself for a player to be in an offside position unless that (offside) player becomes actively involved in play at the time the ball is being played to them by a teammate. 

This is where the Referee’s judgment is called into action and also where "60 Seconds on Officiating" Soccer Editor Dave Herwig steps in to offer his insight on this critical component of the game...

Two important concepts come into play in judging whether a player is guilty of an offside infraction:

What Is Active Involvement?  Certainly being the offside player that gets the attacking pass becomes involved in play … but what about a teammate who is offside, but on the other side of the field of play? 

If the ball is not being played to the offside player, NO OFFSIDE CALL.  What about an offside player who distracts a defender (or goalie) by being in the vicinity of play?  This creates a disadvantage and IS AN OFFISDE VIOLATION.  What if the ball is played to an offside attacker by the defense (deliberately or by accident)?  Pass from defense to offside attacker is NOT an offside violation.

Being Offside When The Ball Is Played - One of the hardest judgments a Referee has to make is whether the attacking player is even with (not offside) or behind (offside) the second to the last player at the moment the ball is play to them. 

Remember, any part of the body (head, torso, legs, feet – but not hands) that is beyond the second to the last defender constitutes being offside. 

Under the Diagonal System of Control (3-man system), it is the Assistant Referee’s responsibility to make this call.  However, when working games by yourself, the judgment of offside requires close attention to player location and speed to determine whether an advantage has been gained due to being in an offside position.

As with any rule interpretation, the most important aspect is to be consistent with application.  By hustling and being in proper position you provide yourself with the best opportunity to make the correct call.