Wenger’s ‘daylight’ offside trial unlikely to be extended
Arsène Wenger’s “daylight” offside trial is unlikely to be extended after Ifab assessment panels gave it little support. Tested in Canada’s Premier League, the rule aimed to make attacking play easier by ruling a player onside whenever any part of their body was level with the second-last opponent.
Across 112 matches, offside decisions fell by 54% and 13 extra goals were scored, but defensive lines retreated by an average of three metres. The league also used coach challenges through Football Video Support, which may have helped limit the trial’s effects; set-pieces were especially affected. The panels also discussed shootout coin tosses, goalkeeper injury procedures and other possible changes, as the meetings begin consideration of laws for 2027-28.
In short
- Wenger’s offside trial is unlikely to continue.
- Offside decisions fell 54% over 112 Canadian league matches.
- Defences retreated three metres, with set-pieces most affected.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The trial’s sharp fall in offside decisions and increase in goals suggest that requiring clear daylight between attacker and defender could reduce marginal calls and make attacking play more rewarding. Supporters may argue that the retreat by defensive lines is an adjustment teams can make, and that the effects should be judged with the trial’s use of coach challenges and set-pieces in mind before ruling the change out.
The case against
The trial also showed that the rule can alter how teams defend, with lines retreating by an average of three metres, while its effects on set-pieces and the use of coach challenges make the results harder to generalise. Opponents may argue that changing a well-established law on this evidence risks unintended tactical consequences without demonstrating a clear enough overall benefit.
Explained simply
The offside rule helps decide whether an attacker can move ahead of the opposing team to receive the ball. Arsène Wenger, a former Arsenal manager who works on football development for Fifa, proposed changing it so an attacker would be onside if any part of their body was level with the second-last opponent.
The International Football Association Board, or Ifab, sets the laws of football. Canada’s Premier League tested the proposal over 112 matches, alongside a system that let coaches challenge some decisions; the trial also affected how teams defended and took set-pieces.
Offside decisions shape attacking tactics and the balance between scoring chances and defensive play. Ifab’s assessment matters because any change it approves could eventually affect football competitions more widely.