What was the first sport to have an offside rule?

Question

ice hockey, rugby, football all have offside rules meaning slightly different things but which was first? was it rugby or something completely diiferent?

Answer 1

tennis

Answer 2

The origins of the off-side law began in the various late 18th and early 19th century "football" type games played in English public schools, and descended from the same sporting roots found in the game of Rugby. A player was "off his side" if he was standing in front of the ball (between the ball and the opponents' goal). In these early days, players were not allowed to make a forward pass. They had to play "behind" the ball, and made progress towards the oppositions' goal by dribbling with the ball or advancing in a scrum-like formation. It did not take long to realise, that to allow the game to flow freely, it was essential to permit the forward pass, thus raising the need for a properly structured off-side law.

There's a really good history of the off-side rule (which basically followed the development of rugby and football since it arose from the same origins as both games) here :

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/cors...

Answer 3

Probably soccer.  I'm sure it pre-dates all the other sports you  have mentioned.  When you say football, I am assuming you mean American football and not soccer.  American football descended from rugby, which descended from soccer (that is called football everywhere but USA).

Answer 4

Soccer or Futbol

Answer 5

i would say football (soccer), and yes, even american football has an offside rule