January 7, 2026
Analysis: Is Football About to Change Forever? The Tactical Shock of the “Wenger Law”
A proposed new offside rule pushed by former Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger — widely known as the “Wenger Law” — is threatening to shake football down to its foundations.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is said to be extremely keen on the idea. Full implementation could come as early as the 2026–27 season, with even whispers of a surprise debut at the 2026 World Cup.
What Is the “Wenger Law”? A Radical Shift in Interpretation
Under the current rules, any part of the body being ahead is enough to be flagged.
The Wenger proposal flips that logic completely.
Current rule:
If any goal-scoring body part (excluding arms) is even millimetres ahead of the last defender, it’s offside.
Wenger Law:
If any part of the attacker’s body (for example, a heel) overlaps with the defender’s line, it’s onside.
Unless the attacker’s body is completely separated, no offside is given.
In short: massive advantage to attackers.
Tactical Fears: The Death of the High Line?
Current Como manager Cesc Fàbregas has already voiced serious concerns:
“What worries me most is that some teams will drop their defensive line much deeper. Personally, I don’t like that kind of football. If this rule is approved, many teams will play far more cautiously.”
And he’s not alone.
The offside trap becomes obsolete:
Under Hansi Flick, Barcelona have been living dangerously with an absurdly high line, catching opponents offside through razor-sharp coordination.
With the new rule, attackers running level with defenders suddenly gain a full body-length head start. Keeping a high line becomes borderline suicidal.
Rise of ultra-defensive football:
To avoid balls in behind, many teams may retreat deep and form low blocks. As Cesc fears, matches could become slower, tighter, and far less open.
More goals — or fewer?
FIFA’s goal is clear: fewer VAR millimetre calls, more goals, more celebrations.
But the irony? If defences drop deeper, we could end up with even more rigid, suffocating matches where goals are actually harder to score.
SNS Fan Reactions
3: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 21:50
Offside is already complicated enough.
Just leave it alone.
5: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 21:54
Scrap offside altogether and let teams attack freely already.
17: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:15
>>5
You want football where everyone just lumps it into the box?
59: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 01:25
>>5
That’s PE class football.
75: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 02:22
>>5
Didn’t they test no-offside once and everyone just camped in the box?
60: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 01:25
>>5
They tried it — turned into kick-and-rush nonsense.
8: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 21:59
But that Hosoya offside at the Olympics was kinda against the spirit of the rule, wasn’t it.
VAR said offside so fair enough, but still.
106: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 14:44
>>8
The one where his leg was still between the defender’s legs, yeah.
Rules say even a body part is enough, so fair call —
but it misses the original purpose of offside.
18: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:18
>>8
The defender got absolutely cooked on that one.
9: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:00
Heard modern football doesn’t really use the offside trap anymore.
That made me weirdly sad.
11: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:06
Isn’t this change meant to force teams to drop deeper anyway?
Basically weaken pressing.
14: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:12
>>1
Football isn’t a points game, that’s why offside exists.
If you change it like this, you might as well redesign the sport.
Feels like this whole reform idea is already broken.
No wonder most people are against it.
21: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:21
This actually raises the risk of mid and low blocks failing,
so goals probably increase.
Strong teams benefit the most.
Parking the bus won’t save you.
23: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:22
Wenger Law feels extreme.
Linesmen will be confused —
and weirdly, traps might even be easier.
26: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:27
Everyone only thinks about pro football with VAR.
What about grassroots?
Kids’ tournaments still use one ref.
Judging “fully clear” bodies is impossible.
Please don’t do this.
32: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:36
>>26
Even now, without VAR, refs mess up offside constantly.
It’s basically the same problem.
49: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 23:31
>>32
You can kinda see a foot sticking out.
But judging if a whole body is clear?
Impossible.
Refs will get abused even more and quit.
29: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:34
So as long as you’re touching the defender’s line, it’s onside?
That’s way too attacker-friendly.
33: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:36
Wenger Law goes too far.
Just loosen it slightly.
34: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:37
If Cesc says matches will get boring, they probably will.
Sounds like deep-block counter football everywhere.
36: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 22:49
Offside has been getting looser since football was invented.
At first, forward passes were illegal.
Then you needed three defenders, then two.
Then “not involved in play.”
Hard to imagine going looser than Wenger’s idea.
40: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 23:12
No offside = both teams camping in front of goal and spamming long balls.
42: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 23:14
>>40
Everyone says that, but football’s never existed without offside.
We don’t really know what would happen.
Probably chaos — but maybe something else.
67: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 01:40
>>42
University teams tested it years ago.
Midfield vanished, just lump it forward.
I saw the footage — dreadful stuff.
56: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/05 23:53
No offside means keepers never rush out.
Chip shots go extinct.
64: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 01:30
Against top teams, sitting deep doesn’t work anyway.
They’ll find space behind you no matter what.
65: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 01:31
At least controversial offside calls disappear.
That’s something.
108: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 16:55
>>65
Instead we’ll get controversial onside calls everywhere.
Without VAR, it’ll be chaos.
68: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 01:43
Offside exists to stop goal-hanging and lump-it football.
The current rule became overly strict and punitive.
Wenger’s idea restores the original spirit
and will make the game more open.
81: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 03:05
**Current rule says offside if a player:
- interferes with play
- interferes with an opponent
- gains an advantage
That’s insanely subjective.
Feels exploitable.**
109: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 17:29
>>81
Even standing there affects defenders.
You’re involved whether you touch the ball or not.
93: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 12:48
“More cautious” basically means deeper lines.
Feels like attack wins either way.
Why change it now?
96: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 13:23
This affects more than runs in behind —
set pieces and scrambles too.
Second and third phases explode tactically.
98: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 13:42
>>96
Set pieces become attack heaven.
Fouls in the box = PK festival.
If that’s the goal, just make it a different sport.
100: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 13:57
Rules have changed before.
Try it, and if it sucks, change it again.
111: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 18:23
Recovery runs become useless.
FWs just match a defender’s heel and sprint.
That’s wild.
114: Anonymous Fan 2026/01/06 19:09
Defensive lines drop deeper.
Midfield space opens up.
That part might actually be interesting.
