As FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, Wenger first proposed changes to the offside rule in 2020. His idea is to call offside only when an attacking player's entire body is completely beyond the second-to-last defender. This means any overlapping part of the body would keep the player onside. In contrast, the current rule deems an attacking player offside if any part of their body that can play the ball is beyond the second-to-last defender.

Wenger's proposed new offside rule aims to eliminate the need for millimeter-level line technology to determine if an attacking player is marginally ahead of an opponent.

Proposed offside rule changes by former coach Arsene Wenger. Photo: Times

However, this idea did not gain consensus at the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football's global rule-making body, where it was considered too radical a change. UEFA also rejected the proposal, expressing concerns about its wide-ranging impact on the balance and tactical structure of the sport.

Despite this, IFAB has approved trials in suitable environments to assess the practical impact before making a final decision.

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) is considered an ideal league for the trial phase. It offers a sufficiently high level of competition without the immense media pressure seen in top European leagues. Previously, Wenger's proposed new offside rule had only been applied in some youth leagues. The CPL currently does not use VAR, but altering how offside is determined could generate significant debate.

Explaining his proposal, Wenger referenced the adjustment made after the 1990 World Cup, when the rule was amended so players were not offside if level with a defender. He believes football needs to continue adapting to encourage attacking play, rather than penalizing minimal differences.

Should the trial in Canada yield positive results, Wenger's proposal could pave the way for one of the most significant changes to the offside rule in decades.

Wenger is one of football's most respected coaches. He managed Arsenal for 22 years, securing 17 titles, including the unbeaten Premier League season of 2003-2004.

Since becoming FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, in addition to the new offside rule, Wenger has also proposed shortening the interval between World Cups from four to two years. He also suggested having only two international breaks each year, in march and october.

Hong Duy (according to Mirror)