FA and IFAB will not implement Arsene Wenger’s plans for change in offside rules ahead of Euro 2020

The Football Association and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) will resist pressure from Arsene Wenger to implement radical changes in the offside rule, the Telegraph reports.

Wenger, who is FIFA’s new chief of global development, wants the changes in offside rules to be implemented quickly and wants an offense to only be committed when there is daylight between the attacker and the opposition defender.

However, sources from FIFA say that there is an extensive examination required for the daylight rule to be implemented, as it would be the most decisive change in the rules of football since the change in the back pass rule was introduced in 1992. Lukas Brud, the general secretary of the IFAB, has almost confirmed that Wenger’s proposed change will not be implemented during IFAB’s general meeting with governing bodies later in February at Belfast.

This proposal is not up for approval for vote at the AGM because this proposal has not been put forward for the agenda

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Chances for the change to be implemented ahead of the Euro 2020 are very slim

Wenger’s proposed change says that if any part of the attacker’s body that can be used for scoring is in line with the opposition defender, the attacker should be judged onside. Under the current rule, if any body part that can be used for scoring is ahead of the opposition defender, it is considered offside. FIFA might table the proposal at the IFAB meeting on 29th February for discussion, but Brud’s comments perhaps rule out any chances of a decisive outcome.

If that is true, the chances of the proposed change being implemented before 1st of June, a little less than 2 weeks before the start of the European Championships, are almost nil. FIFA is allotted 4 votes on laws, while the IFAB and the 4 British football associations have a vote each. For any change to come into effect, at least 6 votes are needed.

Wenger’s plan has received mixed reviews, but the move would try to address the gaps that have resulted in almost thrice as many goals ruled out as restored by VAR, mainly due to marginal offside decisions. However, “Laws of the Game” for the upcoming season is presently mentioned in the IFAB agenda as only a discussion area.