European football's governing body UEFA on Friday approved the use of vanishing foam to police free-kicks in Champions League and Europa League matches from the start of the 2014-15 season.
The biodegradable foam, which dissolves within a minute, is sprayed on the ground by referees to mark where free-kicks should be taken from and the 10-yard (9.15-metre) distance that the opposition's defensive wall must observe.
It was judged a success after being pioneered at the World Cup in Brazil and has since been adopted by the English and French leagues.
"After a successful test at the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Malta, I am pleased that the Referees Committee decided to approve the use of the vanishing spray in our senior competitions," said UEFA president Michel Platini.
"As we all saw at the World Cup, this spray was very useful in helping the referee in free-kick situations, and I am sure we will see similar results in our matches this season."
The spray will be used for the first time in a UEFA club competition in the UEFA Super Cup game between Real Madrid and Sevilla in Cardiff on August 12.
It will then be deployed in the Champions League from the play-off round onward, and in the Europa League from the start of the group stage. The spray will also be used in European qualifiers for Euro 2016, which begin in September.
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