The English Premier League has become the first leading domestic competition to approve a goal-line technology system, with Hawk-Eye to be used next season.

The camera-based ball-tracking system, which has been successfully adopted by tennis and cricket, has been chosen ahead of three rival FIFA-sanctioned products.

Hawk-Eye, which is owned by Sony, sends a signal within a second of the ball crossing the line to the referee, who has the power to make the final call on a disputed goal.

The English have championed goal-line technology for years but FIFA ended its longstanding opposition to referees being given high-tech aids only in 2010.