Netherlands Considers Dropping Offside Rule to Address Amateur Football Violence

The Dutch football association explores eliminating the offside law to reduce aggression and improve safety in grassroots matches.

Last season saw 1,864 amateur matches halted due to violent incidents, an 11% increase from the previous year.
The KNVB aims to curb disputes arising from refereeing decisions by potentially abolishing the offside rule at lower levels.
Concerns over aggression have led to discussions about the role of assistant referees in amateur games.
The KNVB has already implemented measures allowing only team captains to question referees to promote better behavior.
Violence in amateur football is part of a broader issue affecting grassroots sports across Europe.