New offside rule 2023: After a ton of criticism over the use of VAR and its effects on the flow of games, a new offside rule is set to be implemented ahead of the coming season. Based on the new ruling, a player will only be deemed offside in case they have an unfair advantage over defenders when receiving the ball.
Which means that a significant portion of the body will have to be ahead of the line when the final ball is played. The new rule will be tested in the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden for the 2023/24 season before being implemented in other countries, possibly from 24/25.
New offside rule 2023: What is the new rule in football?
The rules have been proposed by Arsene Wenger, the FIFA Chief of Global Football Development. The rule will first be used in the youth leagues in Sweden before it is used in Italy and the Netherlands. It will then be put forth to the International Football Association Board (IFAB) after the trial.
The IFAB approves the permanent change of the rules of the game, and will have a huge say in whether this rule is taken up in the highest levels of the competition.
Right now, offside calls are given by the finest margins, which is preceded by very long checks. And it often results in very tight calls being made to the disadvantage of the attacker. The new rule might provide the attacker with a considerable advantage, and only the trials will tell how it is implemented in the lower leagues before being used elsewhere.
