The Canadian Premier League (CPL) will become the first ?professional competition to stage an official pilot of an alternative offside law during the 2026 season, the league said in a statement on Tuesday.
The revised interpretation, proposed by ?former Arsenal manager and current FIFA Chief ?of Global ?Football Development Arsene Wenger, is aimed ?at boosting attacking play and improving the flow in competitive matches, the statement added.
Under the new approach, an ?attacking player will be ruled offside only if there is a ?clear gap, or ¡°daylight,¡±?between the attacker and the defender, meaning the attacker will be ?considered onside if any ?part of the body that can legally score is level with or behind ?the second-to-last defender.
¡°This ?is an important pilot,¡± Wenger said.
¡°By ?testing this new interpretation in a professional ?competition, we ?can better understand its impact, including in terms of improving clarity and the flow of the game and promoting attacking play.¡±
The CPL said the ?trial will be conducted in close collaboration with FIFA, which will oversee the research and evaluation framework, while working with Canada Soccer to prepare match officials, players and ?clubs.
¡°This ?is about positioning the Canadian Premier League ?at the forefront of innovation and contributing meaningfully ?to the global evolution of the game,¡± said James Johnson, commissioner of the Canadian Premier League and group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.
Alongside the ?offside experiment, the CPL will also introduce FIFA-designed and IFAB-approved measures, including Football Video Support, aimed at cutting down time-wasting and improving match efficiency.
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