KEIR RADNEDGE in RIO DE JANEIRO: GoalControl, the German goal-line technology system, will almost certainly be retained for the World Cup in Brazil despite having had nothing to decide during the Confederations Cup.

The system was a late-comer to the licensing system set up after the International Football Association Board finally approved GLT last summer.

It overtook original pioneers such as Hawk-Eye and Cairos to earn the nod for the Cup and FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke has indicated it will be maintained back in Brazil next year.

Valcke said: “The agreement with GoalControl was to see how it worked at the Confederations Cup. The feedback was that it worked well so why change?”

The cost of the installing the system in Brazil for the 12 venues at the World Cup will be $3m. FIFA as offered to leave the systems in place if the CBF or host clubs wish. They would be responsible only for the ongoing maintenance costs.

England’s Howard Webb, one of the Confederation Cup referees, was happy with the system.

Webb, who refereedBrazil’s 2-0 win over Mexico then Spain’s semi-final victory over Italy on penalties, said: “Of course we referees had nothing to compare it with, it’s been our first experience of goal-line technology. But the reassurance the system gives us is a big benefit. We’ve had no concerns about the reliability of the system.”

The first FIFA event to use GLT was the Club World Cup in Japan last December when Hawk-Eye and GoalRef were deployed without need or problem.

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