In football, the offside rule dictates that a player is considered offside if any part of their body, except for their hands and arms, is in the opponent's half of the pitch or closer to the goal line than the ball and the second-last opponent. However, fans should prepare for a significant alteration to the game with the implementation of the new offside rule for the 2023/2024 season.
According to FIFA, the proposed rule will be implemented in the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden next year, and the number of offside calls will be reduced to the barest minimum since the new rule states that a player wouldn’t be ruled offside until the entire player of an attacking player is in front of the defender.
While this may have a huge impact on the entirety of the football game, there is no doubt it would address a lot of uncertainties presented by the old rule ever since VAR was introduced into the Premier League in 2019.
Most goals have had to be ruled out in time past because they had varying interpretations and little to no possibility of it being seen by the human eye. With the new rule being implemented, scenarios like this in the game would be better curtailed. It is still uncertain how the rule will be trialed and when exactly it will be next season, but there are no doubts football fans are about to witness a major phase in the game.
Tweeps Share Controversial Opinions About The New Offside Rule
Ever since news of the new rule became official, several football fans have taken to Twitter to express their thoughts and comments to prove they are definitely not having it. Some seem to agree it’s an exciting change to the game and should be welcomed, but many consider it unnecessary and self-sabotaging.
See some of the tweets here.
A fan tweeted his disapproval as the new rule may make defenders do a lot more work.
"Don't like this one bit. Yes,t will mean attacking players benefit but you can just stand offside, put your toe in frontier-yer the split second then have a free run on goal which makes defending much much harder."
Another seemed to welcome the idea and considered it an excellent change.
"Thank god, offside is an awful rule. Ruins so many potential exciting plays"
While another said, "This would be an excellent change to the rule, more goals = more excitement. Soccer traditionalists are fuming," he wrote.
Others were indifferent and thought it an unwarranted diversion;
"so we go from a boot’s pinky toe or the edge of a shoulder being called offside, to this? pick something reasonable because this is borderline cherry-picking."
While some were totally unbothered.
"Get Werner and Morata back we have title to win."
Will football lose loyal fans to the new offside rule, or will it survive another controversial change in the history of football?