Hawk-Eye technology to help referees decide whether a ball has crossed the goalmouth has been prepared for use for the new Premier League season.
Wembley Stadium and the 20 Premier League grounds have had 14 cameras installed at a cost of £250,000 per ground after the ‘Goal Decision System’ underwent a rigorous three-year testing period.
It will be used at all Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup fixtures at which the host team has the technology implemented.
However, Uefa has opted not to use the technology in European games.
The technology could be utilised as early as Sunday’s Community Shield match between Premier League champion Manchester United and FA Cup winner Wigan Athletic.
It is hoped it will remove the controversy of goals contested by both sides when it is not clear whether it has crossed the goal line or not.
Video replays will be shown on television and inside the grounds and information about whether the ball has crossed the line will be relayed to special watches worn by referees and their assistants within a second of the incident.
The technology, trialed at Arsenal’s Emirates stadium yesterday, is accurate to within 3mm – comfortably inside Fifa’s required margin of error of 30mm.
