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Rule Court position Beginner

What Is Offside in Netball?

Offside in netball explained: how each position's permitted court area works, and what happens when a player strays outside it.

Written by Claire McDonald · Last reviewed

A player is offside if they touch the ground in a third of the court, or a goal circle, that their position isn't allowed in — even briefly, and even without touching the ball. Standing on the line of your own area is fine.

Difficulty
Beginner
Written for
Player, parent, umpire
Rule group
Court position

Offside in netball has nothing to do with the offside rule in football — it's entirely about which thirds and goal circles your specific position is allowed into.

The rule in plain English

Every position is permitted into some combination of the three thirds and, for two positions per team, one goal circle. If a player enters an area their position isn't allowed in, that's offside — whether or not they touch the ball (Rule 14.1). Lines count as part of both areas they divide, so a player standing on, but not over, the line of their own area is not offside. Reaching across and picking up or leaning on the ball in an offside area is fine, as long as you don't touch the ground there (Rule 14.3).

The five playing areas and which positions may enter them A court numbered into five areas for a team attacking the left-hand goal: 1, the attacking goal circle; 2, the attacking third; 3, the centre third; 4, the defensive third; 5, the defensive goal circle. A chart below shows each position's areas: Goal Shooter 1 and 2; Goal Attack 1, 2 and 3; Wing Attack 2 and 3; Centre 2, 3 and 4; Wing Defence 3 and 4; Goal Defence 3, 4 and 5; Goal Keeper 4 and 5. 1 2 3 4 5 Attacking end Defending end 1 2 3 4 5 GS GA WA C WD GD GK
Who can go where. The court is split into five areas for each team: 1 the attacking goal circle, 2 the attacking third, 3 the centre third, 4 the defensive third and 5 the defensive goal circle. Each bar shows the areas a position may enter: GS 1–2, GA 1–3, WA 2–3, C 2–4, WD 3–4, GD 3–5 and GK 4–5.

Permitted areas by position

  • GS — attacking third and attacking goal circle only.
  • GA — centre third, attacking third and attacking goal circle.
  • WA — centre third and attacking third, excluding the goal circle.
  • C — all three thirds, excluding both goal circles.
  • WD — centre third and defensive third, excluding the goal circle.
  • GD — centre third, defensive third and defensive goal circle.
  • GK — defensive third and defensive goal circle only.

See the 7 netball positions explained or each position's own guide for a labelled diagram of its specific area.

A simple example

A Wing Attack chases a loose ball that rolls into the attacking goal circle. Even if they don't touch the ball, the moment their foot lands inside the circle, they're offside — because Wing Attack is never permitted inside either goal circle.

Legal Illegal
Staying within your position's permitted thirds and circle at all times Any part of the body touching the floor in a non-permitted third or circle
Reaching an arm into a non-permitted area without touching the floor there Stepping, even briefly, into a non-permitted area while chasing the ball
A Centre moving through all three thirds during play A Centre entering either goal circle

What the umpire is looking for

The umpire is watching floor contact relative to the court lines and each player's position, not intent — a player doesn't have to touch the ball to be offside, and "I didn't mean to" doesn't change the call.

Restart

Offside is penalised with a free pass to the other team, taken where the player entered the offside area. If two opponents go offside one after the other, the first is penalised; if they go offside at exactly the same time and neither touches the ball, play simply continues.

Common misunderstandings

  • "I wasn't involved in play." Offside applies to position on the court, not involvement in the passage of play — simply standing in a non-permitted area is enough.
  • Confusing offside with obstruction. Obstruction is about defending too close to an opponent; offside is purely about court position relative to your own role.
  • "I can never step over the line, even to fetch the ball for a restart." Under the 2024 rules, a player may enter an offside area solely to retrieve the ball to set a free pass, penalty pass or throw-in. This is only about collecting the ball for a restart, not a loosening of offside during open play.

Player tips

  • Learn your own position's permitted area cold — it's the one rule that's completely fixed and doesn't depend on the flow of play.
  • In a scramble near a third line or circle edge, take a half-step back if you're unsure rather than risk conceding a free pass.

Umpire tips

  • Position yourself with a clear view of the relevant lines for the phase of play, since offside often happens at speed near a boundary.
  • Call it immediately on floor contact — don't wait to see whether the player becomes involved in the ball.

Offside works alongside the centre pass rule, which also depends on players being in their correct starting positions, and is easiest to understand once you know the 7 netball positions explained.

Common mistakes

  • A Wing Attack or Wing Defence stepping into a goal circle while chasing the ball.
  • A Goal Shooter or Goal Keeper drifting into the centre third during a scramble.
  • Assuming offside is only called if a player receives the ball outside their area — actually, simply standing there is enough.

Official source: checked against the World Netball Rules 2024, published by World Netball. Last checked 10 October 2026.

Always check the official World Netball rulebook for the definitive, current wording. This site explains and illustrates the rules; it does not replace them.