Lower-league final to trial Hawk-Eye technology
An English minor league cup final between Eastleigh FC and AFC Totton will come under more scrutiny than would normally be the case this month after being chosen as the first live match to test the Hawk-Eye goal-line technology system.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is trialing two systems - Hawk-Eye and GoalRef - to help match officials decide whether or not a ball has crossed the line after a raft of controversies in recent years.
Both could be approved when the IFAB meets on July 2.
As well as the live games, EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) will use several other testing procedures during May and June.
They include simulated scenarios at training sessions and laboratory tests to simulate how the technology works in rain and fog or whether mobile phones can effect its accuracy.
Should the Hampshire Cup final, being played at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium, have a controversial goal-line incident, however, match officials will have to rely on their eyes.
"Only the EMPA observer in the stadium will have access to the goal-line technology (GLT) system readings, and the system will NOT be utilised by the match officials," a FIFA statement said.
The Hawk-Eye system, already used in tennis and cricket, will be used at another match still to be decided.
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GoalRef will be tested in two separate matches, either two Danish Superligaen games, or one league fixture and a forthcoming international friendly.
Hawk-Eye uses tracking technology while GoalRef relies on magnetic fields.