A player receives the ball straight from a throw-in while behind every defender. Is that offside?

No. There is no offside directly from a throw-in, corner kick or goal kick.

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  1. Yes, it is offside
  2. No, not from a throw-in ✔
  3. Only in the penalty area

Why: The Laws say there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick. Free kicks are different and offside does apply.

Huh, didn't know that: Because of this rule, long throw-ins can be a sneaky way to set up a scoring chance.

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Why do strikers love throw-ins? No flag can ruin their fun.
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References

Answer: No, not from a throw-in. The Laws say there is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick. Free kicks are different and offside does apply.

  1. IFAB Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 11 Offside www.theifab.com/laws/latest/offside
    There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from: a goal kick a throw-in a corner kick
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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