Arsene Wenger’s proposed daylight offside rule to start Canadian Premier League trial

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) will become the first professional league to host an official pilot of the 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 Head of Global Football Development Arsène ‌Wenger, aims to encourage attacking play and improve flow in competitive ‌matches, the statement said.

Under the new approach, an attacking player is only declared offside if there is a clear gap, or ‘daylight’, between the attacker and the defender, meaning the attacker is considered onside if a part of the body that can legally score is level with or behind the second-to-last defender.

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“This is an important pilot,” Wenger said.

“By testing this new interpretation in a professional competition, we can better understand its impact, also in terms of improving the clarity and flow of the game and promoting attacking play,” he added.

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 soccer,” said James Johnson, commissioner of the Canadian Premier League and group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.

In addition to the offside experiment, the CPL will also introduce FIFA-designed and IFAB-approved measures, including support for football videos, aimed at reducing time wastage and improving match efficiency.

Published on March 31, 2026