Red Bull’s football stable currently includes Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, RB Brasil and RB Leipzig.

AFR Weekend reported that Red Bull is understood to prefer starting a team “from scratch rather than buy an established name and risk alienating a fan base”.

Football Federation Australia has made no secret of its need to attract more capital to the domestic game.

Reports that the league has attracted the attention of the Austrian energy drink co-founder and billionaire Dietrich Mateschitzto will be welcomed in Whitlam Square.

Even so, the FFA has ruled out expansion of the 10-club competition before the 2018-19 season.

Chairman Steven Lowy told AFR Weekend: "What the FFA has to do is come up with a structure that attracts more capital.

"We have to remember that after FFA was restructured in 2003 and 2004 – we achieved a lot of great things. Now is the time for the next phase."

Lowy added: "We understand the need for a separate A-League, where there is some ownership for clubs but with close links to the FFA. I am looking at this as a businessman.

“I would really like them to have that opportunity to make money on having that asset, to sell their shares if they want and for owners of expansion teams to buy in. We can raise capital that way. But we need owners who are in the sport for the long term."

FFA is currently working with A-League clubs to develop a new ownership and operating model to make the competition more sustainable.

One option said to be under consideration is selling a stake in the league to a  private equity investor.