FFA and FIFA have been at loggerheads for two years over the make-up of the congress which picks the FFA board.

Under pressure from Australian lobby groups and led by A-League club owners, FIFA are demanding the FFA open up the congress to more than the current state football federations.

But the FFA have steadfastly refused to consider anything more than minor tweaks to the way congress is set up.

FIFA ordered a Congress Review Working Group was set up earlier this year to study the issue and report back with its recommendations. 

The report was filed with FIFA and the details of its proposed massive overhaul of the way congress – and ultimately the FFA – works were revealed last month.

The FFA immediately took issue with key changes, including allow A-League clubs to have a bigger say and allowing the A-League to be spun off and run its own administration.

Chairman Steven Lowy said he would not seek re-election if the proposals were approved, and several state smaller state federations are said to be backing the FFA which would potentially block the changes being approved at an extraordinary general meeting being held later this month.

Now Sport Australia has also come out and said it opposes some of the proposals, claiming they go against their principles of good governance...but without specifying exactly what.

Sport Australia CEO Kate Palmer (on the right in the pic above) has now written to all nine state federations and A-League clubs voicing her concern on the changes.

AAP reports the letter says: “It is the view of Sport Australia that there are a number of recommendations in the report that do not meet Sport Australia’s Sports Governance Principles.”

They are said to be releasing specific details later next week, with no reason given for the delay in outlining their concerns.

Sport Australia's approval is vital for the FFA to be able to continue to access government funds to support football. It is unusual for the government body to get publicly involved in a sport's internal issues. 

But the move could be the final flashpoint for FIFA. Any attempt at government intervention in the running of football affairs can lead to immediate suspension of a nation from FIFA.

A similar situation in Uruguay earlier this year led FIFA to impose its own normalisation committee.

However in Australia, the Congress Review Working Group was considered to be an attempt at implementing a normalisation committee on the FFA.

FIFA's final sanction now could be immediate suspension – which could ultimately see Australia miss out on defending the Asian Cup in January if the situation is not resolved beforehand.

If the EGM vote maintains the current status quo, it could be the trigger for FIFA to impose its ultimate sanction and suspend Australia indefinitely until an agreement is reached.