FIFA: Testing a new offside rule

The new offside rule known as “The Wenger Law”, as its name suggests, comes from former Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger, currently FIFA’s Director of Worldwide Football Development.

This new rule, introduced by Arsène Wenger in 2020, is designed to encourage an offensive game, enabling strikers to score more goals. Thanks to this rule, the attacker will be able to position himself in front of the defender, provided he keeps part of his body in contact with the latter to play the ball. A player with even the slightest part of his body covered would be able to run towards the goal and score, and his position would be considered legal.

“I would like there to be no offside as long as a part of your body with which you can score is on the same line as the defender,” Wenger had defended.

This rule has been tested for the past 04 months in youth tournaments in Sweden and Italy, to ensure that it is in line with football regulations. In the event of a successful test, implementation will first have to go through the IFAB assembly, the body responsible for football rules and regulations.