Soccer Tutorial: What is Offside?

Para sa lahat na nagtataka kung ano ang offside?

This is the FIFA rule that has always leave the new Filipino football fans wonder while watching an Azkals game. If you keep comparing why soccer has few scores than basketball, then this offside rule is the culprit, but this one also makes this sport exciting.

The ice hockey also uses the offside rule.

You may have watched our Azkals play against another team, and when Phil Younghusband received a pass and shot a goal, but the goal wasn’t credited, the referee blew a whistle probably after finding out a violation. Most likely, Younghusband or Javier Patiño was in an offside position. It’s usually the forwards and strikers violate the offside law.

An offside happens when an attacking player is ahead of the ball in active play and/or the second last defending opponent (the last defending opponent is the goalkeeper).

Let’s look at the image below from Wikipedia. The blue circles are defending players, while the red circles are the attacking ones. The line is an imaginary offside line. The red player is in offside position if he receives the ball from a pass from his red teammate.



The offside violation is usually called after the ball is passed to the waiting teammate.

Para pa malinawagan ang lahat, here is another image from FIFA.

Another offside position scenario. Image credits to FIFA.

There is no offside in the following scenario:
1. During a corner kick.
2. During a throw-in.
3. When the ball is mistakenly passed to the opponent.
4. When all the attacking players are inside their half. See the image from FIFA below to give you insight.


The white players are attacking, while the red is defending.

Still not clear? Here is a short video explaining the offside rule.

If you’re looking for the official document of the offside law, just visit the FIFA link.

Sana ang lahat ay nalinawanagan na. 🙂

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