Football’s lawmakers on Saturday approved goal-line technology in principle and it could be used for the first time at FIFA’s Club World Cup finals in Japan at the end of the year.

The eight-man International Football Association Board said that the technologies of two companies, Hawk-Eye from Britain and GoalRef, a German-Danish company, would be subject to further tests until a final decision was taken at a special IFAB meeting in Kiev on July 2.

Jerome Valcke, FIFA’s general secretary, said: “If it is approved on July 2, then there is nothing to stop it being used on July 3, but in reality, the first FIFA competition it might be used at would be the Club World Cup finals in Japan in December. It should also be used at the Confederations Cup in Brazil next year before the World Cup in 2014.”

IFAB also agreed in principle to allow Islamic women footballers to wear a hijab, or headscarf, when they play, overturning the decision they took in 2007.

In other decisions, a proposal from FIFA to allow a fourth substitute in extra time in Cup matches was withdrawn while further discussions will be taken regarding the “triple punishment” sanction when a player concedes a penalty, is sent off and faces a suspension for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity.

IFAB also approved the use of “vanishing spray”, the temporary marker sprayed on to the pitch by the referee so defenders stand 10 yards (9.15 metres) from free-kicks, can also be used in matches.