IFAB tweaks offside rule after Swedish club Torns IF finds loophole
Swedish third-tier side Torns IF's persistence forced the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to make a slight change to its offside rule on Wednesday.
In August 2023, the team released a light-hearted video on social media, which showcased Torns' coach Richard Ringhov and a few players explaining how a 'scoop pass' could act as a loophole to get past the offside rule.
IFAB's distinction between passes is hard to understand. The clarification of the offside law only applies to keeper throws and not to related passes, e.g. scoop and swivel passes. But, it's a win for us. We changed the rules, and some types of the Torn Pass can still be used. pic.twitter.com/53VWxEJxgw — Torns IF (@TornsIF1965) June 12, 2025
According to the previous rule, 'A player is in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched by a team-mate; is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by the first point of contact of the 'play' or 'touch' of the ball should be used.'
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Torns argued that a player could scoop the ball into their foot and hold onto it while their teammate goes into an offside position and receive the ball.
While the suggestion was dismissed at the time, the IFAB eventually found it amusing and a slight clarification has been made to a footnote of the offside law in the Laws of the Game 2025/26 released on June 11, and relates to one example of a 'delayed' pass: when a goalkeeper throws the ball down the field to find a forward's run behind the opponent's defence.
'When the ball is thrown by the goalkeeper, the last point of contact should be used, as this provides a clearer and more consistent reference point,' it says on the IFAB website. Meanwhile, in the rest of the passing instances, a judgment is made related to 'the first point of contact'.
'IFAB's distinction between passes is hard to understand. The clarification of the offside law only applies to keeper throws and not to related passes, e.g. scoop and swivel passes. But it's a win for us. We changed the rules, and some types of the Torn Pass can still be used,' Torns said in a post on social media.
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