We may witness history in 2006: the first football (soccer, for our readers from across the Atlantic) World Cup to ever use some kind of electronic device to help the referees.

We are talking about the ’smart ball’, a ball with an electronic chip implemented that will help referees find out if the ball had crossed the goal line or not. The technical information is not so important in our opinion (after all, you have to know that if the ball crosses the goal line, the referee will know).

Right now, the method is/was used in the U-17 World Cup in Peru and it will be used again in December in the Club World Championship. Then, in March, it will be decided if this kind of ball will be used in the World Cup in Germany.

You can find the full news here.