This weekend, trials for FIFA’s proposed overhaul of the offside law will begin in the Canadian Premier League, following a lack of support from European soccer officials. The “daylight offside” concept, advocated by Arsene Wenger in recent years, significantly favors attacking players—a point critics argue could lead teams to adopt a more conservative defensive approach.
Under the new trial rules, attackers will be considered onside as long as any part of their body capable of scoring is level with a defender. Essentially, offside will only be called when there is a clear gap between the attacker and defender.
Currently, attackers in high-level matches are scrutinized by numerous stadium cameras, often being ruled offside by minuscule margins, which fans humorously refer to as “armpit” or “toenail” offsides.
Canadian Premier League commissioner James Johnson stated, “Our goal is to position the Canadian Premier League at the forefront of innovation and actively contribute to the game’s global evolution.”
Wenger, who serves as FIFA’s chief of global football development, has consistently advocated for the daylight offside rule during discussions at the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which approved the Canadian league trials in February.
Jamie Carragher, a former defender for England and Liverpool who is now a pundit for CBS and Sky Sports, voiced concerns in 2024 that the daylight offside rule could harm the game by prompting teams to play more defensively, rather than encouraging goals.
For Wenger’s daylight offside proposal to become part of The Laws of The Game, it requires the approval of at least two of the four British football federations that participate in the annual IFAB meeting alongside FIFA officials. However, that support remains unconfirmed. A potential compromise has also been discussed, which would rule an attacker offside only if their torso exceeds that of the defender.