Sunday 25 November 2018, 22:00

Behind the scenes: Goal-Line Technology

Two weeks ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018™, we have gone up to roof of the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain to take a look at the Goal-line Technology cameras.

Since its official launch during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, Goal-Line Technology, commonly known as “GLT”, has increased in popularity among players, referees, media and fans. Recently recognized as the best football innovation of the last 30 years, this technology adopts seven high-speed cameras per goal, usually mounted on the “catwalk” – the elevated service platform from which many of the technical functions such as lighting and sound are manipulated – or fitted on the floodlight poles. As soon as the ball gets near the penalty area, all the cameras have the ball in view, the images are sent to a computer and analyzed in real time. In less than a second, the system is able to verify if the ball has completely crossed the goal line in between the goal posts and underneath the crossbar. If that is the case, a goal is scored, a signal is sent to the referee's (and his assistants) watch. The system is able to find the ball even if only a small part of the ball is visible.  The cameras are distributed along a hypothetical arch running around each midfield, pointing at the penalty area and focusing on the goal line. The view needs to be clear from any potential obstruction such as poles, flags or floodlights. The only question left now is, how does it look from up there? Check out the video to experience one of the best views within a stadium.