Submissions for the new broadcast deal close on Thursday, and it is understood interested parties have been urged to include tenders for a 12-team league.

South Melbourne, Sutherland-St George-Illawarra and Tasmania are said to be among the frontrunners, with interest flagged by clubs across all six states, the ACT and New Zealand.

Turnbull supports Tasmania A-League bid

Thwaite: Expand in Queensland

A-League boss Greg O’Rourke said expansion of the 10-club league remains the top priority going forward.

“The FFA have got a shortlist of consultants that we are talking to regarding the project scope which will help us build the framework,’’ O’Rourke told the Herald Sun.

“We expect that that framework will be ready to put to board in February and if that’s approved it will form the guidelines to add an A-League team to an expanded competition with a view to this coming in the second year of the deal of broadcast, 2018-19.

“Our primary focus will be on the expansion of the A-League over the next 5-7 years and primarily focused on what is the right number of teams and what are the right geographies.

“That’s not to suggest that inter-dependencies of future promotion and relegation or a second division will be ignored but it won’t be our primary focus.’’

O’Rourke suggested A-League bidders should hold their fire until the criteria is released in the New Year. He was also keen to head-off any concerns about a potential turf war.

Sydney FC have publicly opposed any potential 'super club' being formed in the Suthlerland- St George area, saying it would cannibalise up to 30% of its fan base.

Sydney FC: No expansion in our backyard

O’Rourke told the Herald Sun: “Any meetings prior to the framework being finalised and the board approving it are more about being respectful and wanting to listen to interested parties who want to ask questions. It’s not about having detailed discussions,’’ he said.

“The FFA doesn’t want potential aspirants to spend time and money putting together a proposal and talking to government in a formal way, until they have a clarity of what is required.

“We have been saying for some time that any new team in the A-League will need to add value for all existing stakeholders.’’