Canberra's hopes of securing an A-League franchise have been given a boost after the FFA approved expansion plans.
The FFA is targeting the 2019-20 season as the start date for two new clubs. More details about the formal process will be announced next month with the intention to have a decision later this year.
Canberra business analyst Jeff Williamson is the man behind a 12-person bid steering Canberra's hopes of securing an A-League franchise.
Williamson is determined to establish an A-League side in the capital when the competition is expanded and he maintains an appetite exists in Canberra to make the venture financially viable.
The region took a step towards having its own A-League team when Canberra United joined the National Youth League in 2017, while the club has long been a force in the W-League.
Ivan Slavich led the ill-fated A-League4Canberra bid and raised $5 million in government and corporate support and foundation memberships.
But the bid was quashed by Football Federation Australia, and a permanent A-League presence in Canberra looked dead in the water with prospetive corporate supporters hesitant to get involved.
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FFA boss David Gallop is wary of expanding into cities with less than one million people after the Townsville-based North Queensland Fury survived just two seasons before falling into financial ruin.
The Central Coast Mariners played two games in Canberra last season at a loss after just 10,569 fans rolled through the gates, and talks to bring the Wellington Phoenix to the ACT this season broke down.
But Williamson believes Canberra fans would get behind a team based in the capital.
The move could reignite discussions about building a $350 million rectangular stadium in Civic.
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr said A-League content was a must if the government was to build a new stadium.
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