Law 11 practice questions
15 questions on
Offside, each with the correct answer and an explanation of the
reasoning. These are drawn from the free question bank.
Question 1
Law 11
standard
An attacker's outstretched arm is beyond the second-last defender, but their head, body and feet are all level with that defender. Are they in an offside position?
A
No — the hands and arms are not considered when judging offside position
Correct answer
B
Yes — any part of the body beyond the defender puts the player offside
C
Yes, but only if the arm is deliberately extended
D
No, but only because they are level rather than beyond
Why
Law 11.1: offside position is judged on the head, body or feet. The hands and arms of all players, including goalkeepers, are excluded, since a goal may not be scored with the hand or arm.
Question 2
Law 11
intro
An attacker is standing in their own half, ahead of every opponent, when a team-mate plays the ball forward. Are they offside?
A
No — a player cannot be in an offside position in their own half
Correct answer
B
Yes — being ahead of every opponent is enough
C
Yes, if they then run into the opponents' half to play the ball
D
Only if the ball was played from inside the opponents' half
Why
Law 11.1 requires the player to be in the opponents' half to be in an offside position. A player level with the halfway line or in their own half cannot be offside.
Question 3
Law 11
intro
From which restarts can a player NOT be penalised for offside, even if in an offside position?
A
Goal kick, throw-in and corner kick
Correct answer
B
Goal kick, free kick and corner kick
C
Throw-in, corner kick and dropped ball
D
Goal kick, throw-in and kick-off
Why
Law 11.3: there is no offside offence if the player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick.
Question 4
Law 11
standard
At what moment is a player's offside position judged?
A
The moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate
Correct answer
B
The moment the player receives the ball
C
The moment the player starts their run
D
The moment the ball crosses the second-last defender
Why
Law 11.2: position is assessed at the moment the ball is last played or touched by a team-mate. What the player does after that determines whether the position becomes an offence.
Question 5
Law 11
advanced
An attacker is in an offside position. A defender, under no pressure, deliberately heads a clearance straight to that attacker, who scores. What is the decision?
A
Goal — the attacker received the ball from an opponent's deliberate play, which is not a save
Correct answer
B
Offside — the attacker was in an offside position when the ball was last played by a team-mate
C
Offside, because the attacker gained an advantage from the deflection
D
Goal, but only if the defender's clearance travelled more than 10 m
Why
Law 11.3: a player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays it — a controlled action, not a deflection — commits no offence. The one exception is a deliberate save.
Question 6
Law 11
advanced
A shot is pushed out by the goalkeeper to an attacker who was in an offside position when the shot was struck. The attacker scores from the rebound. What is the decision?
A
Offside — a deliberate save does not reset the offside position
Correct answer
B
Goal — the goalkeeper deliberately played the ball
C
Goal — a rebound from the goalkeeper always resets offside
D
Offside only if the attacker was inside the penalty area
Why
Law 11.3 carves out the deliberate save from the deliberate-play exception. A player in an offside position who benefits from a rebound off a save — by the goalkeeper or any other player — has gained an advantage and is penalised.
Question 7
Law 11
standard
An attacker in an offside position does not touch the ball but stands directly in the goalkeeper's line of vision as a shot is struck. What is the decision?
A
Offside — interfering with an opponent by clearly obstructing their line of vision
Correct answer
B
Play on — the attacker never touched the ball
C
Play on, unless the attacker moves towards the ball
D
Indirect free kick to the attacking team for goalkeeper interference
Why
Law 11.2: interfering with an opponent includes clearly obstructing their line of vision, challenging for the ball, or making an obvious action that clearly impacts an opponent's ability to play the ball. No touch is required.
Question 8
Law 11
standard
An offside offence is committed by a player who has run back into their own half before becoming involved in play. Where is the restart taken?
A
An indirect free kick from where the offence occurred, including in the player's own half
Correct answer
B
An indirect free kick from the point where the ball was played by the team-mate
C
An indirect free kick from the halfway line
D
A direct free kick from where the offence occurred
Why
Law 11: an offside offence is punished by an indirect free kick from where the offence occurred, and the Law expressly includes the case where that point is inside the offending player's own half.
Question 9
Law 11
intro
An attacker is exactly level with the second-last opponent when the ball is played forward. What is the correct interpretation?
A
Not in an offside position — being level is not being nearer the goal line
Correct answer
B
In an offside position — level counts as beyond
C
In an offside position only if the attacker is moving forward
D
Not in an offside position, but only if level with the last two opponents
Why
Law 11.1 requires the player to be nearer to the opponents' goal line than the second-last opponent. Level with the second-last opponent — or level with the last two opponents — is not an offside position.
Question 10
Law 11
standard
An attacker in an offside position runs alongside a defender without touching the ball or the defender, and the ball then goes out of play without any attacker touching it. What is the decision?
A
No offence — the attacker never became involved in active play
Correct answer
B
Offside — merely being in an offside position when the ball was played is enough
C
Offside — running alongside a defender is interfering with an opponent
D
Offside, unless the attacker was more than 1 m from the defender
Why
Law 11.2: a player in an offside position only commits an offence by becoming involved in active play — interfering with play, interfering with an opponent, or gaining an advantage. Being in that position without any of the three is not itself an offence.
Question 11
Law 11
advanced
A team-mate's shot strikes the crossbar and rebounds to an attacker who was in an offside position when the shot was struck. The attacker plays the rebound. What is the decision?
A
Offside — the attacker gained an advantage from the offside position by playing the rebound
Correct answer
B
No offence — the crossbar is not an opponent, so offside cannot apply
C
No offence, provided the rebound was not deliberate
D
Offside only if the attacker touches the ball inside the goal area
Why
Law 11.3: a player in an offside position who plays a ball that has rebounded off the goalpost, crossbar, or an opponent is considered to have gained an advantage from that position and is penalised.
Question 12
Law 11
standard
Two attackers are in offside positions when a through-ball is played. Only one runs to challenge for the ball; the other stays wide, well away from play. What is the decision?
A
Offside is called only against the attacker who becomes involved in active play
Correct answer
B
Both attackers are offside, since both were in an offside position
C
No offside can be given because two attackers were offside at once
D
Offside is called against whichever attacker the assistant referee flags first
Why
Law 11.2: offside is assessed individually. A player in an offside position is penalised only if they personally interfere with play, interfere with an opponent, or gain an advantage — not because a team-mate in a similar position exists.
Question 13
Law 11
standard
An attacker is in an offside position when a team-mate takes a quickly-taken free kick and finds them with a pass. Can the attacker be penalised for offside?
A
Yes — only a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick are exempt from offside
Correct answer
B
No — offside can never be given directly from any free kick
C
No, because the free kick was taken quickly
D
Yes, but only if the free kick was direct rather than indirect
Why
Law 11.3 lists exactly three restarts exempt from offside: a goal kick, a throw-in, and a corner kick. Any free kick — direct, indirect, or quickly taken — is not on that list, so normal offside assessment applies.
Question 14
Law 11
advanced
A goalkeeper has been sent off and not replaced, so the team defends with ten outfield players. When judging offside, who counts as the 'second-last opponent'?
A
The second player back from the goal line among all remaining defenders, whoever that is
Correct answer
B
There is no second-last opponent, so offside cannot be given
C
The referee treats the missing goalkeeper's usual position as the second-last opponent
D
The team's designated captain, by default
Why
Law 11.1: the second-last opponent is simply the second player from the goal line among however many defenders remain. The goalkeeper has no special status in the calculation — they are just usually the deepest player.
Question 15
Law 11
advanced
An attacker in an offside position makes an obvious action to play a ball close to them, which clearly impacts an opponent's ability to play it, but never touches the ball. What is the decision?
A
Offside — this is interfering with an opponent
Correct answer
B
No offence, since the attacker never touched the ball
C
No offence — impacting an opponent only counts if there is physical contact
D
Offside only if the incident occurs inside the penalty area
Why
Law 11.2: interfering with an opponent includes making an obvious action that clearly impacts an opponent's ability to play the ball, alongside challenging for the ball and obstructing an opponent's line of vision — no touch is required.