Africa-Press – Mauritius. A modification to the offside rule has been proposed by Arsene Wenger, which would declare attackers onside if any portion of their body lines up with the final outfield defender.
Wenger, the head of global development at FIFA, the world governing body, claims it would give the attacker back the edge that many believe the video assistant referee (VAR) took away.
Currently, if a player’s body extends past the final defender in any way other than their hands and arms, they are considered offside.
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Former Arsenal manager Wenger likened the proposed modification to a comparable action following the World Cup in 1990.
Italia 90 had the lowest average goals per game in World Cup history because, before that tournament, a player was deemed offside if he was level with the final defender before the goalkeeper.
“It was in 1990 after the World Cup in Italy when there were no goals scored,” Wenger told Bein Sports, recalling the rule change.
“We decided that there is no offside any more when you are on the same line of the defender.
“In case of doubt, the doubt benefits the striker. That means when there’s a fraction – the striker did get the advantage.
“With VAR this advantage disappeared and for many people it’s frustrating.”
The method has already undergone testing in Italian youth football, and Wenger said more trials will be conducted before a final decision is made, which may occur in 2026.
Lawmakers in the sport, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), have the authority to alter the offside rule.
In March, at its annual general meeting, Ifab agreed to participate in additional trials run by Fifa.
Finding out if they “foster attacking football and encouraging goalscoring opportunities while maintaining the game’s attractiveness” is the stated goal of the competitions.
Only after consulting with football stakeholders and seeking input from Ifab’s technical and football advisory bodies would any possible rule modification be implemented.
Referees and retired players are among the seasoned football industry personnel on those committees.
In an attempt to promote forward play after Italy 90, the contemporary back-pass rule, three points for a win, and modifications to the offside law were implemented.
The 1994 World Cup saw an average of 2.71 goals per match, up from 2.21 in 1990, demonstrating the beneficial effects of the improvements.
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