What Is the Offside Rule in Soccer?
Offside is about timing, position, and involvement in play.
A player is offside if they are nearer to the opponent's goal than both the ball and the second-last defender when the ball is played to them, and they become involved in play.
The offside rule stops attacking players from waiting too close to the opponent's goal for easy passes. A player can be in an offside position only in the opponent's half and only if they are closer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent when a teammate plays the ball. Being in that position is not automatically an offense. The player must also interfere with play, challenge an opponent, or gain an advantage from the position.