At talks here, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) agreed to trial a 'smartball' developed by sports equipment giant adidas which contains a microchip that bleeps when it crosses lines fitted with special sensors.

The technology was presented to the Board on Saturday and is to be used for both goal and side lines on an experimental basis at FIFA's under-17 World Championships in Peru in September.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter insisted this was not the first step on the road to introducing video replays being viewed by a fourth official.

"The international board have tried to keep football with a human face and the possible errors and the only technology where the board has said yes is for goal-line technology.

"Now for the World Cup 2006 such a system could and should be applied when and if the results of our test are conclusive."

Adidas spokesman Thomas van Schaik said they were determined to make sure the 'smartball' was 100 percent reliable.

It is hoped the new technology will finally end disputes such as the one over whether England's third goal in the 1966 World Cup final actually crossed the line.

"That Geoff Hurst goal is the point of the technology because you can look at it 100 times and never be sure," added van Schaik.

More recently the need for referees to be given more help was underlined when Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll dropped a long-distance shot a yard over his line in a Premiership match against Tottenham.

No goal was awarded because the referee and linesman were both unsure whether the ball had crossed the line, something which was perfectly clear on television replays.

The 'goal that never was' denied Tottenham victory in that match and could ultimately prove crucial in determining whether United win the league or secure automatic qualification for next season's Champions League -- outcomes in which tens of millions of pounds are at stake.

The microchip ball is attractive to rule makers because it would provide instant decisions, unlike the use of video replays which would result in the flow of the game being interrupted.