Infantino: FIFA is currently testing the new offside rule in America and China

From the 2021 FIFA Congress


at the 1hr 15 minutes of the video, FIFA president Infantino said:

The current rule says that "if any part of your body with which you can score a goal is over the line of the second last defender then it is offside."

We are testing the opposite rule so to saying "if any part of your body with which you can score a goal is in line with the second last defender then it is not offside."

In the Premier League last year, there were 4 offside situations per game, with this new rule, two of these 4 situations would be onside and maybe a few more goals.

We need to see what kind of impact this new rule have on the game and that is why we are testing it currently in America and in China. Professor Arsene Wenger is supervising this work.

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In the France - Germany game today, France might have 2 more onside goals (that were offside with the current rule)

88 minute:

https://imgur.com/a/cqqBqcX

Mbappe great goal disallowed for offside 66’ (this would be a very close call under the new offside rule)

https://imgur.com/a/mok3sZI


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MLS clubs also have some friendlies right? Maybe friendlies could be ideal testing ground.

Maybe even CONCACAF Champions League.

Or US Open Cup.

 

In the 3rd minute, this wonderful goal would be onside with the new offside rule



The attacker might be onside even if he is 1.5 feet further ahead. As long as any part of his body that can play the ball is "in line" with the second to last defender.

 

That's what FIFA president said in the video.

His exact word "We need to see what kind of impact this new rule have on the game and that is why we are testing it currently in America and in China. Professor Arsene Wenger is supervising this work."

As for where, when, and which teams etc...FIFA didn't say.

As for my suggestions for friendlies and other tournaments, it is because I feel it is doable and watchable.

All fans can watch and see the trial in action. Friendlies would be broadcast so would tournaments like CONCACAF Champions League and US Open Cup.

Even NCAA College Soccer would be ideal testing ground also.

More matches that use the new offside on a trial basis = more data / results for FIFA to judge if it is an improvement for the game.

 

The rule change in 1925. It took 31 years before it was approved. Led to a lot more goals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offside_(association_football)

It also led to an increase in goalscoring: 4,700 goals were scored in 1,848 Football League games in 1924–25. This number rose to 6,373 goals (from the same number of games) in 1925–26.[20]

1924-25: 2.54 goals per match

1925-26: 3.45 goals per match (after the rule change from 3 defenders to 2 defenders)





Two-player rule (1925)

The Scottish FA urged the change from a three-player to a two-player offside rule as early as 1893.[74] Such a change was first proposed at a meeting of IFAB in 1894, where it was rejected.[75] It was proposed again by the SFA in 1902, upon the urging of Celtic FC, and again rejected.[76][77][78] A further proposal from the SFA also failed in 1913, after the Football Association objected.[79][80][81] The SFA advanced the same proposal in 1914, when it was again rejected after opposition from both the Football Association and the Welsh Football Association.[82][83][84][85][86]

Meetings of the International Board were suspended after 1914 because of the First World War. After they resumed in 1920, the SFA once again proposed the two-player rule in 1922, 1923, and 1924. In 1922 and 1923, the Scottish Association withdrew its proposal after English FA opposed it.[87][88] In 1924, the Scottish proposal was once again opposed by the English FA, and defeated;[89] it was, however, indicated that a version of the proposal would be adopted the next year.[90]

Imagine how defensive soccer would be if such an offside rule still exist today.
Goal might be down to 1.5 per game.

 

Another wonderful goal that would have been valid. This is just one out of many in the tournament so far.

Euro is already a low scoring tournament.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2020

Matches played 32
Goals scored 76 (2.38 per match)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2016
Matches played 51
Goals scored 108 (2.12 per match)

 

https://theconversation.com/euro-20...-debates-that-have-raged-to-abolish-it-163117

Van Basten’s critics counter that this would lead to chaos and the chronic goal hanging that spooked the original lawmakers of the 19th century. Van Basten shares the view of others in pointing to field hockey, which dispensed with its offside law in its entirety in 1998. Far from ruining the game, it is widely held that it has invigorated it by rewarding attacking play and making the game more exciting and free-flowing.

Trials have taken place in football without offside with mixed results. The experimental game led to a very high score (9-7) but a match that was not dramatically different in how it was played tactically overall. Van Basten believes the game could eventually adapt and improve as hockey has.



Less radically, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has proposed another amendment where if any part of an attacking player’s body with which they can legally score is onside when the ball is played, then they are not offside.'


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No offside at all is too RADICAL and will never be adopted by FIFA/IFAB. Wenger new offside rule is much more realistic. If MLS wants, it could use this new rule next year.

 

https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/i...fifa-offside-rule-currently-in-trial.2116747/
Invalid goals that would be valid under new FIFA offside rule currently in trial

From the first 30 matches of Euro 2020 (the other 21 matches I have not got the time to look through the ESPN highlights)

France- Germany
https://imgur.com/a/cqqBqcX

Finland - Russia
https://imgur.com/a/6RLGJU0

Finland-Belgium
https://imgur.com/a/eO0qrh7

Wales vs Switzerland - June 12
https://imgur.com/a/VbEkn9T

Portugal vs Germany
https://imgur.com/a/9VX9kz5

North Macedonia vs Netherlands
https://imgur.com/92jXqxY

Ukraine vs North Macedonia ---very very close call ---need line to see
https://imgur.com/BbjrWuU

France vs Germany - Mbappe great goal but offside
-could be valid under the new offside rule---very very close call (need a line to see how close)
https://i.imgur.com/rpKbYlC.jpg


From the 30 matches so far, 8 invalid goals that would be valid goals counting the 2 very close calls.

8 extra valid goals / 30 matches = 0.267 extra valid goals per match

Not counting the 2 very very close calls, it would be 6 extra goals / 30 matches = 0.2 extra goals per match




There will be more instances from the remaining 21 matches. Maybe 4-5 invalid goals that could be valid goals.

STAY TUNE!!!! I will watch the ESPN highlights in the very near future and screenshot any invalid goals that would be valid under the new FIFA offside rule

 

Premier League to use thicker lines to end the offside controversies.

The Premier League won't confirm the exact margin of error, but I'm told the TV line gives 5cm to the attacker for that "benefit of the doubt".

It might not seem like much, but it would have saved 19 goal situations last season. Again, I can't get a confirmed list of the 19.

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) August 9, 2021

The Premier League won't confirm the exact margin of error, but I'm told the TV line gives 5cm to the attacker for that "benefit of the doubt".

It might not seem like much, but it would have saved 19 goal situations last season. Again, I can't get a confirmed list of the 19.


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19 goals for being within 5cm offside/onside.

Imagine how many invalid goals (from current offside rule) would become valid goals (under new FIFA offside rule) with the margin being a lot wider. A player could be 2 feet ahead of the defender and still onside as long as the trailing leg is in line with the defender.

FIFA would love to have a league like MLS to implement this for 2022. It's a win-win for FIFA and MLS.

All that it would take for it to happen is that MLS make a phone call to FIFA (FIFA would agree to it in a heartbeat) and the majority of MLS owners to vote in favor to implement this. There is no worry about this offside rule affecting USMNT World Cup qualification since qualification would be over by March 2022.

MLS is among the earliest adopters of VAR. It can be among the earliest adopters of this new FIFA offside rule. MLS gets 1 extra valid goal every 4 games. Fans would love to see more goals.