A FIFA referee holds a soccer ball as he looks at his wrist watch, which is used as part of the Hawk-Eye goal-line technology as he tests the system before the matches, at the Toyota Stadium in Toyota, central Japan December 12, 2012.  [Photo/Agencies]

ZURICH - A third goal-line technology system has been approved and granted a licence, making it eligible to be considered for use at the 2014 World Cup, FIFA said in a statement on Monday.

The German-manufactured Cairos system uses magnetic fields set up around the goals to determine whether or not the ball has crossed the line in situations where it is not clear to the naked eye.

A fourth system, also developed in Germany, is also under consideration.

The systems previously approved are Hawk-Eye, which is used in tennis and cricket and is based on optical recognition with cameras, and GoalRef, which also uses a magnetic field with a special ball.

FIFA approved the use of goal-line technology last year following a number of controversial incidents where teams had legitimate goals disallowed because officials wrongly decided the ball had not crossed the line.

Last week FIFA confirmed the technology would be used in Brazil at the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup after a successful trial.

European soccer's governing body UEFA has yet to adopt goal-line technology, preferring to employ an extra linesman behind each goal.