This article has been updated to comply with the Laws of the Game 2023/24. It lists all the rule changes in the Laws of the Game and other association football codices before 1886 I know of. More on trials or withdrawn and defeated football rule proposals discussed at the Annual General Meeting of The IFAB on request (Contact).
In this article the development of offside is described.
| Year (Source) | new or changed laws (proposing club/association, if known) |
| 1847 and following years (Eton Field Game) | Offside: „Sneaking“ is when the attacking player is between the ball and the opposing goal and there are three or fewer opponents in front of him/her. Enabled a combination game here early on. |
| 1858 (Sheffield FC) | Offside: Someone who stand behind the touch line and goal line, is offside. |
| 1858 (Harrow Football) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent goal line than the ball. |
| 1862 (The Simplest Game) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent goal line than the ball. |
| 1862 (Blackheath FC) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent goal line than the ball. |
| 1863 (Shrewsbury School) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent goal line than the ball. |
| 1863 (Cambridge University) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent goal line than the ball. |
| 1863 (FA) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent’s goal line than the ball. |
| 1866 (FA) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent’s goal line than the ball, if less than three opposing players were standing in front of the attacking player. Those who were offside were not allowed to participate in the game, i.e. not to touch the ball or prevent anyone from touching the ball. The reason for this change: The principle of justice. |
| 1867 (Sheffield FA) | Offside: was everyone who is closer to the opponent’s goal line than the ball, if less than two opposing players were standing in front of the attacking player at the moment of passing. |
| 1873 (FA) | Offside: Added: „[…] at the moment of passing the ball“ (Uxbridge FC). |
| 1873 (FA) | No offside: In case of a goal kick no offside rule applies (Uxbridge FC). |
| 1874 (FA) | Offside: In case of an infringement of the law, the game restarts with an (indirect) free kick for the opposing team (Harrow Chequers). |
| 1879 (FA) | Offside: In case of a throw-in the offside law applies (Wanderers FC; Old Harrovians FC). |
| 1882 (FA) | No offside: If the ball comes from the opponent an offside position is impossible. (Old Etonians, Finchley). |
| 1907 (IFAB) | No offside: If the player comes from his own half. (SFA). |
| 1920 (IFAB) | No offside: Change: With a goal-kick an offside position is possible (FA). No offside: Change: No offside is possible with a throw-in and a free kick (FA). |
| 1925 (IFAB) | Offside: Reduction to two opponents nearer their own goal line (SFA). |
| 1938 (IFAB) |
Clarifications: For offenses against the offside law, the opponent is rewarded with an IDFK. And: It is not offside if he is in his own half of the field of play, there are two of his opponents nearer to their own goal-line than he is, the ball last touched an opponent or was last played by him or he receives the ball direct from a goal-kick, a corner-kick, a throw-in, or when it was dropped by the Referee.
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| 1939 (IFAB) |
It is emphasized that offside is only punishable if a player interfere with or attempts to play.
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| 1953 (IFAB) | It is once again emphasized that offside is only punishable if a player interfere with or attempts to play. |
| 1978 (IFAB) | Sanctions: It is added that – when a player commits an infringement in his opponent’s goal area – the free-kick shall be taken from a point anywhere within that half of the goal area nearest to where the offence occurred. |
| 1990 (IFAB) | Offside: An attacking player on the same level as the second-last opponent is not offside (SFA).
It was allowed from the beginning to stand on the offside without interfering into the game. Now it is specifically added in the laws.
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| 1993 (IFAB) |
Clarification: When the offence is committed by a player in his opponents‘ goal area, in which case, the free-kick shall be taken from a point anywhere within that half of the goal area nearest to where the offence occurred.
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| 1995 (IFAB) |
The attempt to interfere with play is enough to be in an offside position.
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| 1997 (IFAB) | Clarifications: A pass from one’s own half does not allow offside. An offside position is possible for a free kick. Any IDFK for an offence against Law 11 will be performed at the place of the offence. |
| 2016 (IFAB) | No offside: For clarification, the text adds that the hands do not play a role in the offside decision. |
| 2018 (IFAB) | Offside: It is added in the text that the first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used. It is also clarified that „near“ means „close by“. In addition, for an offside offence, the moment the offside player touches the ball is important, not the last touch before the pass. |
| 2021 (IFAB) | For the purposes of determining offside, the upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit. |
| 2023 (IFAB) | Deliberate play: Ball control becomes the decisive element. |