The International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Manchester laid down a number of criteria which the systems must follow, including that they must send an instanteous signal to referees.

The decision means a number of systems will now be developed further, including one being proposed by the Premier League and the company Hawk-Eye, which already has systems being used in cricket and tennis.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick, who was hosting the meeting, said: "This is a critical moment and there is a general consensus that this is the time to move forward.

We all believe that goal-line technology is the right way forward for the game."