An offside position is not itself an offence: the two steps explained
The 2026/27 Law 11 also considers whether the player becomes involved in play.
Standing near the opposing goal is not itself an offence. IFAB’s 2026/27 Law 11 separates offside position from an offside offence: after identifying the position, officials consider involvement in play.
A player is in an offside position when any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half and nearer the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent. Hands and arms do not count. Being level with the second-last opponent is not an offside position.
Position is assessed when a teammate plays or touches the ball. Officials then consider involvement, such as playing the ball, challenging an opponent or obstructing their line of vision. In a hypothetical case, merely standing in an offside position without involvement or interference is not enough to penalize.
There is no offside offence from receiving the ball directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner. A defender’s deliberate play with an opportunity for control must also be distinguished from a deflection or a save.
This explains IFAB’s 2026/27 text and does not decide a real incident. For a Flamengo match, check the version adopted by the competition and the full footage.
