The English Premier League will investigate whether it is feasible to bring in goal-line technology for next season ahead of a July decision by football’s law-makers.
The International FA Board (IFAB) approved goal-line technology in principle on Saturday and will go ahead with final tests on two systems, one from British company Hawk-Eye Innovations and GoalRef by a German-Danish firm.
A final decision will be taken in July and even though the new season kicks off only six weeks later, Premier League sources say they will look at whether it could be possible to have a system in place.
If the time available is too short for the Premier League, the first introduction would probably be FIFA’s Club World Cup in Japan in December.
Football Association general secretary Alex Horne believes the Premier League would struggle to have a system put in place in time for next season.
Horne said: “The reality is that asking 20 clubs to put something in place in five weeks, all tested and calibrated, is unlikely, and the Premier League would probably not want to introduce it midway through the competition.”
Hawk-Eye’s is a camera-based system, while GoalRef uses a magnetic field around the goal with a special ball to identify a goal situation.
GoalRef’s website highlights England’s controversial 1966 World Cup final goal against West Germany as the kind of decision it can get right.
The second test phase will take place between now and June to make sure each system is robust enough to remain accurate in a match situation.
The systems will act only as an aid to referees, with a signal sent to the official only within a second of the ball crossing the line. It is then up to the referee to decide whether to award a goal or not.
Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan said the SPL were likely to be interested if the price was right.
He said: “Next season is probably too soon and the costs are unknown. I think over time technology will advance and prices ultimately will come down and there will come a point at which the SPL can enter this market.
“There is a demand for goal-line technology in the SPL and once the companies have passed the tests we would certainly be keen to try it.”
The IFAB will also push ahead with allowing Muslim women to wear headscarves, but a safe variety which comes off straight away if pulled.
FIFA member Prince Ali of Jordan – with the support of FA chairman David Bernstein – made a proposal to overturn the ban on the scarves, which had been taken on safety grounds, and the IFAB are likely to give it the final go-ahead in July.
Approval was also granted to the FA’s proposal to have a two-year experiment on rolling substitutes in amateur football.
FIFA withdrew a proposal to allow a fourth substitute during extra-time and will consider whether players who are sent off for conceding a penalty should also get an automatic one-match ban.
