Overview:
The Canadian Premier League is in line to become the first professional soccer league to test a new offside rule that has been suggested by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
The Canadian Premier League is in line to become the first professional soccer league to test a new offside rule that has been suggested by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger, who is now FIFA’s head of global football development, has suggested that there should be a complete gap between an attacking player and the defender that would encourage more attacking soccer and fewer close-call offside infractions.
His report and the CPL’s proposal were presented at the International Football Association Board meeting last week. It can be approved at the annual general meeting in Cardiff on Feb. 28. The CPL, which has eight teams would then start using the rule when its 2026 season kicks off in April.
If the trial run is successful, it could be introduced to global soccer for the 2927-28 campaign.
“As part of our ongoing engagement with FIFA, we are exploring the possibility of trialing a modified offside interpretation during the 2026 CPL season,” the CPL said in a statement. “Innovation is a core value of the league and these discussions reflect a shared interest in the continued evolution of the game.”
