Germany's Bundesliga clubs have voted 15 to three in favor of using goal line technology to decide on doubtful goals in the country's top football league.

At the annual general meeting of the German Football League (DFL) in Frankfurt, the 18 Bundesliga clubs elected to follow the example of the Premier League in England by adopting the technology. The Hawk-Eye system, also used in tennis and cricket, will be installed at each ground in the German league. It is based around cameras rather than a chip in the ball and costs a reported 150,000 euros (185,000 dollars) per stadium.

"It is an important step forward for German football," said DFL president Reinhard Rauball on Thursday after the decision.

A previous motion, tabled in March of this year, to use the technology in the top two national divisions was rejected due to the costs involved. Bayern Munich had insisted that the vote take place again, amongst purely top division clubs.

Second time lucky

The technology can be used from July 2015, said Rauball. Schalke and Eintracht Frankfurt were among the three teams that didn't want the innovation, but both clubs say that they "will support the decision of the majority."

Football's governing body FIFA approved goal-line technology in 2012 and it was also in use at the World Cup in Brazil in summer. The English Premier League introduced the technology last European summer.

German football was embarrassed last season after Stefan Kiessling was awarded a goal for Bayer Leverkusen when his header passed through the side-netting in a Bundesliga league match against Hoffenheim.

al/pwh (dpa, SID)