SDJSA offside rule for our younger players Under 7, 8 and 9 there is no offside. Under 10, 11 & Senior will be offside as per FIFA rule below. FIFA (The Main Rule) A Player is OFFSIDE at the moment the ball is passed to him/her by his/her team-mate UNLESS:- · He /She is in his/her own half of the field. · The ball is closer to the Opponents goal line at the moment of passing than he/she. · The player has two or more opposition players between the player and the opponents goal line. Sounds simple doesn't it? There are two subtleties about this rule that you will need to know. Some Subtleties The first subtlety is not very subtle: if the player is merely level with the second last defender at the moment when the ball is passed to the player, it is not offside. Note : It is the second last defender, who determines the Offside position, the goalkeeper (normally the last defender) may have moved up the field beyond another of his own players and he becomes the second or even third etc. last defender. It therefore follows that to be an excellent lines person, (assistant referee) you must stay level with the second last defender, be it the goal keeper or another player. The second subtlety is much less obvious and is probably the cause of more stoushes than anything else: Passive offside: A player may be technically in an offside position (based on the main rule), but if he/she is not really involved in the play then he/she is only passive offside and is not therefore in an offside position. For example if the ball is passed to the winger on the left of the field, and the other winger happens to be lurking way past the second last defender on the right of the field, there is no offside, so don't start waving your flag. actual rule: "A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his/her team, he/she is…. involved in active play by: · interfering with play; · interfering with an opponent; or · gaining an advantage by being in that position." Some Exceptions Like all important rules, there are many exceptions to the rule that you need to know about. Exception 1: Player retreating to an Onside position. A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played to him/her, cannot "put himself/herself Onside by retreating back beyond the second last defender. Exception 2: Throw-ins A player who is thrown the ball from a throw-in can never be offside Exception 3: Goal Kicks If the player receives the ball directly from a goal kick he/she can't be offside Exception 4: Corner Kicks If the player receives the ball directly from a corner kick, he/she can't be offside. Exception 5: Running with the ball. If a player is running with the ball, (dribbling with it), any other player in an offside position would not become offside unless the ball goes out of the reach of the dribbling player and is then able to be reached by the player in an offside position.

Offside Explained