FIFA Urged To Change 'Ridiculous' Offsides Rule at World Cup

Few rules in sports are as controversial as the offsides rule in soccer.

The offsides rule was on full display at the World Cup on Saturday night. Colombia and Portugal were playing the final game of the group stage late on Saturday evening. Colombia appeared to score a goal to go up, 1-0, in extra time.

However, the goal was called off, as one of Colombia's players was deemed to be offside by the smallest of margins.

World Cup fans are taking to social media to react.

"This is ruining soccer/football. This is not the spirit of the offside rule at all, we can't let this continue," one fan wrote.

"Genuinely, I understand the purpose of the rule so people don't just camp by the goals but these toenail offside calls are an active detriment to the sport and just make it unenjoyable. Beautiful game winner ruined because his big toe is offside, like oh man. Ruins it," another fan added.

"I'm sorry, but we want to see REAL FOOTAGE, not this mock-up CGI of the play/player in question. I'll at least give credit to NFL because they don't do this. To be clear, I was rooting for Portugal… Colombia won that game fair. Total bs," one fan added.

World Cup 'urged' to change rule

The World Cup is being urged to change the offsides rule.

"The rule needs to be adjusted. This is ridiculous," Frank Isola shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Not everyone agrees, though.

"Black and white. You're over the line? Offsides. Same in the NFL, same in basketball, same with a foul ball in baseball. What's the issue here?" one fan added.

"The rule is there for exact definition of parameters. Can't put exclusions like toes, fingers, nose etc," one fan added.

Does the World Cup need to consider a change?

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This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 1:05 PM.