German firm granted FIFA licence for goal-line technology

A third company has been officially licensed by FIFA to provide goal-line technology systems.

German firm CAIROS has had its system approved by the world governing body and will be able to tender for use in next year’s World Cup and the Premier League.

The other two systems licensed are those produced by Hawk-Eye, the British firm now owned by Sony, and a German-Danish system called GoalRef.

CAIROS had been one of the first companies to come up with a goal-line technology (GLT) system with a microchip in the ball, a collaboration with sportswear manufacturer adidas that was trialled unsuccessfully in 2005.

Its latest system is not linked to adidas and is similar to GoalRef’s in that it is based on magnetic fields where sensors in the goal are activated when the ball crosses the line.