English Premier League first to approve goal-line technology

The Premier League yesterday announced a historic decision to sanction the use of goal-line technology in the English top flight from next season, in a global first for a domestic competition.

British-based firm Hawk-Eye was chosen over German company GoalControl to supply the ground-breaking technology at a meeting of the Premier League's 20 club chairmen.

Hawk-Eye's system uses seven cameras to track the movement of the ball and sends a signal to the match officials' watches within a second if it crosses either of the two goal lines.

The technology will now be put in place at all Premier League grounds, while the Football Association also intends to install a system at London's Wembley Stadium in time for the traditional season-opener, the Community Shield, in August.

"This will be the first time that goal-line technology is used in any domestic competition," the league said on its website.

"I'm for it, and all the other clubs are for it. They are all in favour," Stoke City chairman Peter Coates said. "[Hawk-Eye] were the preferred bidders, and I am sure they got it right."