All you need to know about Goal-Line technology

By Nilanjan Dey

Goal-line technology provides an instantaneous determination of whether the entire ball has crossed the goal line. Since it was first used in 2014, goal-line technology has become a standard in the football world.

The goal-line technology was implemented in the year 2012 in the laws of the game after it was decided by IFAB. A certification procedure that should control the quality of goal-line technology systems was also decided the same. Before the tournament begins, all competition stadiums are put through independent testing. Additionally, the system is checked by the referee to ensure that it is turned on and calibrated properly before each game.

Whether the ball has fully crossed the line must be indicated by the technology. The referee will use this information to help them make their final decision. The referee will respond right away because the information is provided in less than one second. On their watches, only the match officials can receive the signal. 14 high-speed cameras located on the stadium’s catwalk and underneath the roof are used by the system. To help the spectators understand the choice, a 3D animation was made using the data from the cameras and displayed on TV and a huge screen inside the stadium.

The technology is different from the recently touted all-new offside technology as the cameras for the goal-line tech focus purely on the goal post area and not the whole playing field. Even the data from the sensor inside the ball is not used to determine the goal but rather the 14-high-speed cameras do. In case the goal-line technology is not working, teams are informed prior, and the video match officials review any goal-line case with the cameras available.