Pacific FC striker Alejandro Diaz has made history by scoring the first goal allowed under the trialled 'daylight' offside rule in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). The goal, scored in the 20th minute of a 2-2 draw away at Halifax Wanderers on Saturday, would have been disallowed under standard International Football Association Board (Ifab) rules.
The CPL is testing the new offside law in cooperation with Fifa, requiring a complete gap between the attacker and the second-to-last opposition player for an offside offence. The rule has long been championed by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, now Fifa's chief of global football development, who believes it will encourage attacking play.
Wenger has advocated for the change for years, arguing that video assistant referee (VAR) technology has removed the benefit of the doubt for strikers. 'For many people it's frustrating,' he told beIN Sports last year. 'That's why I proposed that as long as any part of your body is on the same line as the defender, you're not offside.'
The CPL, which does not use VAR, is the first top-flight league to trial this rule, following earlier tests in Italy and the Netherlands at youth level. Results from the trial will be presented to Ifab at the end of the season, and the law could be introduced in Europe from the 2027/28 season.
