Football · rule
Football Offside, Visualised
A step-by-step visual of the offside rule: the second-last defender line and when an attacker is in an offside position.
Step-by-step · SVG · accessible
Step 1 of 4
The setup
A teammate is about to play the ball forward. Offside is judged at the moment the ball is played.
Examples
- A striker who times a run to stay level with the last defender until the pass is played is onside.
- A forward standing behind the defence when the ball is played is in an offside position.
Common mistakes
- • Thinking offside is judged when the attacker receives the ball — it is judged when the ball is played.
- • Forgetting that being level is onside, not offside.
How the rule has evolved
- The offside law has been refined many times to reward attacking play, including clarifying “active involvement” and the level-is-onside principle.
Official references
Verified sources pending
This visualiser explains the rule in general, educational terms. Links to the governing body’s official rulebook are added only once verified through the knowledge pipeline — we don’t cite sources we haven’t confirmed. For the definitive wording, always consult the official rules for your competition.