Watching an offside replay: what the picture can and cannot establish
Use three viewings to identify the relevant touch, visible players and active involvement. Record missing evidence before drawing a conclusion from a football replay.
Start with the touch, not the final photograph
A forward standing alone in front of goal at the end of a replay does not, by itself, explain an offside decision. Watch the build-up and identify which teammate last played or touched the ball before judging the receiving player's position.
Under IFAB Law 11, position alone is not an offence. Active involvement matters. For a teammate's kick, the reference is the first contact with the ball; for a goalkeeper's throw, it is the last contact.
Read the sequence in three passes
- First viewing: follow the ball and identify the relevant teammate's touch. Do not start with the celebration.
- Second viewing: check whether the camera shows the ball, the receiver and the second-last opponent together. Note anything outside the picture.
- Third viewing: watch what the receiver actually does next. Keep your observation separate from your conclusion.
Position uses eligible parts of the head, body or feet in the opponents' half, relative to both the ball and second-last opponent; hands and arms are excluded.
A useful note instead of a guessed verdict
Hypothetical viewing note: “The receiver appears ahead when receiving, but the relevant touch and another opponent are off screen.” That describes the missing evidence. “Definitely offside” would claim more than this view establishes.
Pause if the player offers that control, but do not draw a decisive line from a tilted image with missing players. Look for another angle or the competition's official explanation. Deflections and deliberate play introduce further questions covered in Law 11; this checklist is not a substitute for the complete rule.
Use a recording that is actually available
Pleymeikel offers replays when a completed event's recording is published. Check the particular title before planning your viewing; this guide does not announce any match rights. Keep your own short note of the sequence you want to revisit, including what remains uncertain.