This article contains adult content that may be inappropriate for minors. Please confirm that you are 18 years or older to continue. This article contains images or details that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. FIFA confirmed this Tuesday that the Canadian Premier League (CPL) will be the stage for testing the new offside rule proposed by Arsène Wenger, starting with the new season on April 4. The Canadian league will be the first professional competition to implement this change, which aims to favor attacking football. The new interpretation of the law, advocated by Wenger, who is currently responsible for global football development at FIFA, stipulates that a player will not be considered offside as long as a part of their body with which they can score a goal is in line with the second-to-last defender. In practice, the forward will only be in an irregular position if there is a visible 'free space' between them and the defender. The CPL, in collaboration with FIFA and with the approval of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), thus becomes a pioneer in the application of this rule, which had only been tested in youth levels until now. The Athletic had already reported in February that this possibility was being discussed, awaiting ratification. 'This is an important pilot project,' said Arsène Wenger in a FIFA statement. 'By testing this new interpretation in a professional competition, we will be able to better understand its impact, particularly in terms of improving clarity and fluidity of the game, as well as promoting attacking play. We look forward to analyzing the results of this testing phase.' The former French coach also thanked the CPL and the Canadian Soccer Association 'for their willingness to support FIFA' and for making their competition available for this trial. In addition to the new offside rule, the CPL will introduce another novelty: head coaches will be able to contest decisions made by the refereeing team. To do so, they will need to present a review card to the fourth official. This system, called Football Video Support (FVS), differs from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) as it does not involve dedicated video referees automatically analyzing plays. In FVS, the initiative comes from the bench. Coaches will have a 'limited number' of review requests per game, which they can use when they believe a 'clear and obvious error' has been made in crucial plays, such as goals, penalties, direct red cards, or identity errors. According to FIFA, the request must be made 'immediately after the incident in question to avoid unnecessary delays.'
Wenger Law The Canadian remains central to this story.
Wenger Law The Canadian remains central to this story.
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