Goal-line technology on test

Goal-line technology (GLT) was on show last Monday at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro as FIFA and GoalControl GmbH held a media event to demonstrate how the technology works.  

Members of the media from around the world had an opportunity to see the GoalControl-4D technology in action, including wearing the referee watch to receive the indication of “Goal” or “No Goal”, which is immediately confirmed within one second as part of the requirements of the International Football Association Board (The IFAB) who approved the principle of GLT in July 2012. 

The GoalControl-4D system is equipped with 14 high-speed cameras located around the pitch, with seven cameras focussing on each goalmouth. Using a special detection software, the ball is filtered out from the image sequences and its real-time position is automatically calculated as X, Y and Z coordinates as well as speed, making it 4D. If the ball has fully crossed the goal-line, the central processing unit automatically sends an encrypted radio signal to the referee’s watch in less than one second indicating a goal by means of vibration and a visual signal. 

GoalControl-4D has been installed across all 12 stadiums, each one having successfully passed the Final Installation Test. 

As part of this testing, around 2,400 GLT incidents had to be correctly indicated in various situations and conditions. 

Brazil 2014 will be the first FIFA World Cup during which match officials will be supported by GLT. It has been used previously at the FIFA Club World Cup 2012 and 2013, as well as last year’s FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.