ZURICH (AP) — FIFA’s proposal to change the offside law hugely in favor of the attacking team starts trials in the Canadian Premier League this weekend after failing to win support from European soccer officials.
The so-called “daylight offside” idea pushed by Arsene Wenger in recent years gives a big advantage to attackers — too much, according to critics who say it will force teams to drop back and defend more cautiously.
The Canadian game trials starting on Saturday will judge attackers to be onside if any part of their body that can score a goal is level with the relevant defender. In effect, offside is called only when there is clear daylight between the attacker and defender.
Currently, attackers in top-tier games are judged offside by a slew of cameras in the stadium for the tiniest margin, often derisively called “armpit” or “toenail" offsides by fans.
“This is about positioning the Canadian Premier League at the forefront of innovation and contributing meaningfully to the global evolution of the game,” Canadian league commissioner James Johnson said in a statement.
Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, has promoted the daylight idea for several years at soccer’s rules-making panel known as IFAB, which agreed in February to upgrade trials to the Canadian league.
The former England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, now a CBS and Sky Sports pundit, suggested in 2024 that daylight offside “will be terrible for the game” and lead teams to be more negative rather than produce more goals.
Wenger’s daylight plan can be written into The Laws of The Game only if voted for by at least two of the four British soccer federations who sit with FIFA officials at the annual IFAB meeting.
That support was not yet won and a compromise option has already been aired that would judge an attacker offside only if their torso is beyond the defender.
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Manchester City's Rayan Ait-Nouri scored an offside goal that was cancelled during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Manchester City and Real Madrid in Manchester, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
DRESDEN, Germany (AP) — Police in the German city of Dresden have opened more than a dozen investigations into offenses, including causing “dangerous bodily harm” after large-scale disorder involving fans at a soccer game.
Dozens of fans of Dynamo Dresden ran across the field toward supporters of Hertha Berlin during Saturday's second-division game before being chased back by police. Dresden fans then burned a Hertha fan flag.
The game was resumed after an interruption of nearly 20 minutes and Hertha won 1-0.
Police said in a statement late Saturday that they were investigating offenses including dangerous bodily harm, breach of the peace and property damage. Police did not immediately confirm any injuries or arrests.
Dynamo Dresden finance director Stephan Zimmermann offered an apology to “all uninvolved people who were caught up in these unnecessary acts” and said the club had met with police.
“Our home games are known for a unique atmosphere. Pictures like we saw this evening are not acceptable and cause massive damage not only to our club but to soccer as a whole in Germany,” Zimmermann said in a statement.
“We and many other clubs have spent recent months advocating for fans' interests and a safe stadium experience, and scenes like this are a heavy blow.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
A steward removes burning pyrotechnics from the pitch during a stoppage in play in the Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Dynamo Dresden and Hertha BSC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Dresden, Germany. (Sebastian Kahnert/dpa via AP)
Police officers stand in front of the K-Block section with Dresden fans during a stoppage in play in the Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Dynamo Dresden and Hertha BSC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Dresden, Germany. (Sebastian Kahnert/dpa via AP)
Hertha BSC fans, left, and Dresden fans scuffle during a Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Dynamo Dresden and Hertha BSC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Dresden, Germany. (Sebastian Kahnert/dpa via AP)
Hertha BSC fans, left, and Dresden fans scuffle during a Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Dynamo Dresden and Hertha BSC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Dresden, Germany. (Sebastian Kahnert/dpa via AP)
Law enforcement personnel run onto the pitch during a stoppage in play in the Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Dynamo Dresden and Hertha BSC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Dresden, Germany. (Sebastian Kahnert/dpa via AP)
