Arsene Wenger has once again proposed a change to the offside rule to allow attackers to be onside if any part of their body is in line with the last outfield defender.
FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, speaks during a press conference regarding the FIFA-AIFF (All India Football Federation) academy and the grassroots development in Indian football in Mumbai on November 22, 2023. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP) (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images
Former Arsenal manager and current FIFA head of global development Arsene Wenger has proposed a change to the offside rule to mean players would be onside unless their entire body was beyond the second-last player on the defending team.
As it stands, you’re offside if even a toe pokes beyond the second-last player on the defending team (which is usually the last outfield defender, given the goalkeeper is generally the furthest player back).
But Wenger wants to change this so that you wouldn’t be offside until your entire body was ahead of that last defensive line.
FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger attends a press conference by FIFA's president Gianni Infantino (not in frame), at the Sports Center Dome of the Autonomous Sports Confederation of Guatemala, in Guatemala City on August 30, 2022. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP) (Photo by JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images
Trials of the new system have already taken place in Italian youth football, and further trials will happen before a final decision, which could arrive in 2026.
But football law-makers IFAB will have the final say. IFAB have agreed to further trials, but they want to determine whether the changes “foster attacking football and encouraging goalscoring opportunities while maintaining the game’s attractiveness”.
Any potential change would only be made after consultation with football stakeholders and advisory panels, which include former players and referees.
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: Mikel Merino of Arsenal scores a goal past Gianluigi Donnarumma of Paris Saint-Germain which is later disallowed due to offside following a VAR review during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium on April 29, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Contrary to what some believe, this change wouldn’t eliminate tight offside checks and overturns. You’re still going to get players millimetres offside in many cases, likely just as many as we do now.
The difference is that the attacker isn’t punished for being just marginally ahead of the defender. They have to have their whole body ahead before they’re pulled up on it.
Perhaps that could be a positive change, as the current rules mean the defender always has the positional advantage (or at least positional equality) when the ball is played. The new rules would mean either player could get an advantage with clever movement.
Disallowed goals like Mikel Merino’s against PSG would become legitimate, as part of Merino’s body overlapped with the last defender when the ball was played. Not that you should let that sway your opinion.
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