What Is the Wenger Law, the Offside Rule That's About to Change

Soccer Is Constantly Changing. Not only because of the trends recorded in all competitions held around the world, but also due to the modification of the rules by IFAB. The International Football Board has made several amendments to the existing rules, changes that significantly affect several key aspects of refereeing in this popular sport.

The most anticipated and discussed novelty has been the introduction of the Wenger Law, a striking change regarding the concept of offside. Until now, any part of the body that was not in line or behind the furthest forward part of the opposing defender could be considered offside. The implementation of the Wenger Law reorganizes that concept to offer a new perspective on offside.

Devised by Arsène Wenger, former Arsenal coach, the new way of understanding offside offers a complete change. Now the infraction would exist if the striker's body completely surpasses the body of the last defender at the moment the attacking play continues. The difference from the current law implemented by IFAB is truly striking and opens up many possibilities for the coming years.

The new rule forged by the now FIFA collaborator doesn't reach the soccer elite without trials. After several years of debate, the International Federation has decided to implement it in youth tournaments in Italy and Sweden, with results aimed at "promoting attacking soccer" according to IFAB.

More Changes

Not only the way of understanding offside would have been modified in the last assembly of this institution, held in Belfast. The introduction of amendments to rule 3.10 has also been confirmed, which states that only the team captain may address the referee. However, the effective application of these modifications is not mandatory, as the IFAB's own statement reminds.

Changes for VAR are also on the horizon. The implementation of video refereeing in the best soccer competitions has yielded very different results, so FIFA aims to gradually incorporate Football Video Support in the coming seasons.

Through FVS, team coaches are allowed to request a review of the decision made by the referee based on their viewing in the VAR. But it states: "the original decision will not be changed unless the replays show clear evidence that it was a clear and obvious error or that a serious incident was missed".

This tool, as happened with the Wenger Law, has already been tested in several competitions organized by FIFA during the year 2024. Leaving more than successful results according to the studies of the organization, presided over by Gianni Infantino, its arrival at the elite levels of all soccer ecosystems would be a matter of time.