The world football governing body, FIFA, is preparing to introduce a landmark amendment to the offside law that could fundamentally alter attacking play and drastically reduce the number of goals disallowed for marginal calls.
The proposal, championed by Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, aims to make the game more entertaining and shift the advantage back to the attacker.
The ‘Wenger Rule’: What is Changing?
Under the current laws of the game, an attacker is considered offside if any “playable” part of their body (head, torso, or feet) is even a millimeter ahead of the second-to-last defender. This has led to the controversial “toenail” offsides frequently seen in the VAR era.
The New Proposal: An attacker would only be judged offside if their entire body is beyond the last defender at the moment the pass is played. If any part of the attacker’s body is level with the defender—even if most of their body is ahead—they will be considered onside.
Rationale: More Goals, Less Controversy
Arsène Wenger has long argued that the current interpretation punishes attacking intent and disrupts the flow of the game for negligible advantages.
- Encouraging Attackers: The change is designed to give strikers more confidence to make runs and reward forward thinking.
- Ending ‘Millimeter’ Calls: By requiring clear daylight between the entire body of the attacker and the defender, FIFA hopes to eliminate the forensic, frame-by-frame VAR reviews that have frustrated fans and players alike.
- Improving Game Flow: Fewer marginal reviews would mean fewer lengthy interruptions during matches.
Impact on Semi-Automated Offside Technology
The approval of this rule would mark a partial retreat from the semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) recently introduced in elite competitions. While SAOT provides high-precision tracking of limb positions, the new rule would render many of those microscopic measurements irrelevant, as the focus shifts to the “trailing” part of the attacker’s body remaining level with the defender.
Ratification and Timeline
While the football world is buzzing with anticipation, the rule change is not yet official.
- The Process: The proposal must undergo final review and ratification by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the Laws of the Game.
- Potential Introduction: If approved, the new interpretation is expected to be introduced for the 2026/27 season, potentially being trialed in select youth or lower-tier competitions first.
Defensive coaches and tacticians are already expressing concerns that the change may force teams to play with a much deeper defensive line, as the “high line” strategy becomes significantly riskier under the new Advantage-to-Attacker framework.
Source: Africa Publicity
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