Offside in soccer, explained for kids
In soccer, a player is in an offside position when they are in the other team’s half and closer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent at the moment a teammate plays the ball. It is only an offence if that player then gets involved in the play.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
Offside: diagram
Onside
Offside
What the referee looks for
- Where the attacker is at the moment the teammate plays the ball, not where they are when they receive it.
- The second-last opponent. The goalkeeper is usually the last one, so the line is usually the deepest defender.
- Head, body and feet. Hands and arms do not count, for attackers or defenders.
- Whether the player gets involved: plays the ball, blocks an opponent’s view or challenge, or gains an advantage from being there.
- Being level is onside. A player in their own half is always onside.
Rule: Law 11. Read it in the Laws of the Game (The IFAB).
Common mix-ups
“They were offside when they got the ball.”
The position is judged when the pass is played. A player who starts onside and runs past the defenders after the pass is fine.
“Standing in an offside position is a foul.”
It is not. The referee waits to see if the player gets involved in the play.
“The line is the last defender.”
It is the second-last opponent. If the goalkeeper has come out, the line can be a defender and the keeper, or two defenders.
“You can be offside from a throw-in.”
No. There is no offside if you receive the ball straight from a throw-in, a goal kick or a corner kick.
In 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 and futsal
| Game | How the rule works |
|---|---|
| 7v7 | In the U.S. Soccer standards offside counts in 7v7, but not between the halfway line and the build-out line. Offside can only be given between the build-out line and the goal line. |
| 4v4 (U6 to U8) | No offside in the U.S. Soccer standards. |
| 9v9 | Offside as in the full game: it starts at the halfway line. |
| 11v11 | Law 11 in full. |
| Futsal | There is no offside in futsal. |
These are the Laws of the Game and typical US youth standards. Your league may differ, so check its rules. Sources: IFAB Laws of the Game (current edition), U.S. Soccer small-sided standards, US Youth Soccer playing rules (December 2025) and the FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26. Checked on November 10, 2026.
Questions about offside
Can you be offside from a throw-in?
No. Law 11 says there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a throw-in. The same is true for a goal kick and a corner kick.
Can you be offside in your own half?
No. A player has to be in the other team’s half to be in an offside position. The halfway line itself counts as your own half.
Is it offside if you are level with the last defender?
No. Level with the second-last opponent is onside. Arms and hands are not counted when the referee compares positions.
What does the referee give for offside?
An indirect free kick to the other team, taken from where the offside player got involved in the play.
Is there offside in 7v7 soccer?
In the U.S. Soccer standards, yes, but only between the build-out line and the goal line. Your league may differ, so check its rules.
Lessons that go with this rule
- Run When the Pass Is On (11v11 lesson)Run when the pass is on, and leave as it is played so you stay onside (Law 11). If the pass is blocked, check toward the ball first.
- Which Line Matters? (7v7 lesson)In many 7v7 leagues (like AYSO), you can't be called offside until you pass the far build-out line. Past it, offside counts, so time your run.
- Can You Turn? (11v11 lesson)Look before the ball arrives. Turn when you have room; use your support when you don’t.
- 3-3-2: Split the Two Striker Jobs (9v9 lesson)Two strikers share showing and depth against three defenders, while wide midfielders supply the missing front-line width.
Keep reading
- Museum: The offside rule through timeThe history, in the History Museum (1863)
- Striker in soccerThe player who times runs behind the defense
- Center back in soccerThe defender in the middle of the back line
- 4-3-3 formation (11v11)A back four that holds one line
- Soccer throw-in rules for kidsLaw 15, with a diagram
- Soccer goal kick rules for kidsLaw 16, with a diagram
- All soccer rules for kids16 rules explained for kids, each with a diagram: offside, handball, throw-ins and more
- Soccer terms for kids: an A-Z glossary92 soccer words in plain English, from advantage to yellow card, 18 with a diagram
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.