FIFA president Gianni Infantino has just revealed that world football’s governing body is seriously looking at changing the offside rule to make games more attacking and fun to watch.
Speaking at a major sports summit in Dubai, Infantino said: “We’re thinking about the offside rule… Maybe in the future, a player would only be offside if their whole body is ahead of the last defender.”
This idea, long pushed by former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger (now FIFA’s head of global football development), is often called the “Wenger Law” or “daylight rule.” It means there needs to be clear space (“daylight”) between the attacker and the defender for offside to be called—no more goals ruled out because of a toe or nose being millimeters ahead.
Right now, a player is offside if any part of their body (that can score a goal) is ahead of the second-last opponent when the ball is played forward. VAR has made these calls super precise, but it’s led to lots of controversy over tiny margins and stopped the game too often.
The proposed change would favor attackers, cut down on those frustrating VAR delays, and likely lead to more goals. Tests in youth leagues in countries like Sweden, Italy, and the Netherlands have already shown it works well—more scoring without messing up the game’s flow.
Infantino wants football to be more exciting overall, especially with the 2026 World Cup coming up. The rule could be discussed soon by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the group that makes the official laws.
If approved, it might roll out in the next season or even debut at big tournaments. Fans are split—some love the idea of more action, others worry it could change defending too much. But one thing’s clear: football might be about to get a whole lot more thrilling!
