Soccer Rules Practice Exam 2025 - Free Soccer Rules Practice Questions and Study Guide

Offside is assessed at the moment the ball is played by a teammate. This means that when a player is in an offside position and their teammate passes or plays the ball, the referee checks their position relative to the second-last opponent and the ball at that precise moment. The rationale behind this rule is to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage by hanging back near the opponent's goal and waiting for a pass.

Other aspects of the question, such as when the player receives the ball or when the referee blows the whistle, do not capture the accurate point of offside determination. The offside rule focuses on the player’s position at the moment the ball is touched or played, rather than when they actually receive it, which may occur milliseconds after the pass. Additionally, assessing offside at the beginning of the match is not consistent with the ongoing nature of play and the dynamics of passing and positioning throughout the game. Hence, the emphasis is rightly placed on the instant the ball is played.