Fifa have confirmed that goal-line technology could be in place for the 2006 World Cup.
Goal-line technology will be used at next year’s World Cup final if an experiment at this month’s Under-17 world championship in Peru is successful.
‘Smart’ balls are to be fitted with a microchip that send a signal to match official whenever the ball crosses the goal-line.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has backed the experimentand is hopeful that the new technology will work.
”We will definitely use the technology in Germany if the experiment works,” confirmed Blatter.
“The International Board will attend that last week of the competition in Peru in order to see how the system works.
“This goal-line technology is enough. Football must keep its human face and must accept errors.
”If we start to make it too scientific this game will lose its fascination.”
Blatter also said he hopes that officiating at World Cup matches would improve on the standard at the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
“We have trios of referees and linesmen training and working together now for the World Cup,” he said.
“I take part of the responsibility for what happened in 2002 because we had trios from all over the world officiating at matches who had not worked together before. I allowed that to happen.
“Now we have worked hard to make ensure all the referees and linesmen know each other and work well together. There will be either trios from the same country, or those from the same confederations who understand each other. I am certain the standard will be much better next year than it was in 2002.”
