ZURICH — Goal-line technology providers GoalRef and Hawk-Eye have been authorised to install their systems worldwide after signing licence agreements with Fifa, soccer’s world governing body said yesterday. The announcement came a year after Fifa began an exhaustive search for systems which could reliably detect whether or not a ball had crossed a goal-line.

“Between October 2011 and June 2012, both companies passed a series of extensive laboratory and field tests, tests in simulated match situations, as well as tests in live matches,” said Fifa in a statement.

“This milestone in the goal-line technology process, which began in 2011, means that the two companies now have official authorisation to install their respective goal-line technology systems worldwide.” — Supersport