clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

FIGC announce goal line technology coming to Serie A for 2015-16 season

Details of its implementation haven't yet been finalized, but it sounds certain that Serie A will have goal line technology starting next season.

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

After a month of testing and debate, it's been announced as all but official: goal line technology is coming to Serie A.

A testing process ahead of making a final decision was announced by the FIGC in December, and it would seem that things have gone productively so far. After today's monthly meeting, the FIGC president declared that bringing goal-line technology to Serie A on a permanent basis is "unavoidable," and that the governing body of Italian football is taking the first steps to have it in place by the beginning of next season.

The main hurdle the FIGC will face is in figuring out who foots the bill for purchasing, installing, and operating the necessary equipment. Most Italian football clubs obviously don't have quite the spending power of their English or Spanish brethren who have already implemented goal line tech, and would rather the FIGC foot the bill. The FIGC, naturally, would rather the clubs pay than take money out of their bottom line.

It's an issue that will take some time to get resolved, but it will one way or the other. The most reasonable method would be some sort of sliding scale deal; the clubs will pay a certain percentage of the installation and equipment costs based on their financial statements for the season, with the FIGC picking up the rest.

There's apparently also some debate about how far down the Italian football pyramid goal line technology should be implemented. Apparently there's been some thought of putting it in to play as far down as Lega Pro, but the cost would be prohibitive to lower-division clubs and there's some degree of question as to how much those clubs would want it anyways.

Some clubs, such as Napoli, have been showing a growing interest in bringing a replay system to Italy, but that's a far more controversial topic in football right now than goal line technology is. It's possible, even perhaps likely, that a replay system of some sort gets in to football eventually, but it's unlikely to actually happen for several years at least.