Can You Be Offsides on a Goal Kick?
According to the official FA rules of soccer, a player cannot be offsides on a goal kick.
This means that if the ball is kicked from the goal area and a player on the receiving team is behind the last defender, they cannot be called offsides. Here’s an example.
The offside rule will apply once an outfield player touches the ball.
For example, if a goal kick is taken and bounces back to a defender, the offsides rules come into play.
You can see here that there is not a defender between the last offensive player and the goal. This would result in an offsides penalty.
In addition to goal kicks, a player cannot be flagged as offsides on throw-ins and corner kicks.
I’ve gone in-depth about the offside rule which you can find here.
Written By: Beau Bridges
Beau is the founder of SoccerNovo, dedicated to helping players and parents navigate the youth soccer landscape. As a former youth coach and soccer parent, he shares insights on player development, recruiting, and the ever-evolving soccer scene in the U.S.
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