FIFA is to introduce its new micro-chipped at next month’s Club World Cup tournament taking place in Japan next month.
If the trial proves successful the “smart-ball” could then be used at the next World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
When the balll crosses the line the implanted microchip will send an instant message to the referee’s watch, thus ending arguments about the legitimacy of a goal.
“A lot of time, energy and money has been invested in development,” said Viacheslav Koloskov, a FIFA executive committee member.
“If everything proceeds well enough, of course, the ball will be widely used at the World Cup in 2010.”
A single microchip emits an encrypted signal to four sensors that detect whether the entire ball crossed a goal-line at any height under the bar.
Christian Holzer, a director at chip developer Cairos, says all goal-line variables have been considered.
“There’s no problem with any player covering the ball, and the system is not influenced by weather or humans,” said Holzer.
