FIFA to introduce goal-line technology

FIFA will introduce goal-line technology for the first time today at the Club World Cup in Japan, in an effort to accurately judge when balls cross the goal line.

The magnetic-field-based system of GoalRef will be used at Yokohama Stadium, while Toyota Stadium will be equipped with the camera-based Hawk-Eye system.

The seven-team tournament begins with New Zealand's Auckland City facing Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Yokohama Stadium in the first game.

Hawk-Eye is a British camera-based system already used in tennis and cricket. GoalRef is a Danish-German project using magnetic sensors to track a special ball.

The referee will continue to have full autonomy in making any final decision during the match, using goal-line technology as an additional aid.

The data from the Club World Cup will be used to help FIFA decide, by the end of March, which technology it will use for the six venues at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The Confederations Cup system will then be used at the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke hailed the introduction of the new technology.

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