According to IFAB, that includes helping referees with "game-changing" decisions such as penalty calls, direct red card incidents and, of course, goals. While trials are expected to begin early next year, FIFA and IFAB won't decide if the Video Assistant Referees (VARs) system will be a permanent fixture until 2018 or 2019. What's more, as part of the wider testing, live experiments are going to be conducted around the world.

Major League Soccer will participate in these tests (its wish came true), as is the case for Germany's Bundesliga, Australia's Hyundai A-League and several competitions under the Brazilian, Dutch and Portuguese football federations. Not a bad start.

Update: We received a statement from MLS Commissioner Don Garber: