Former A-League4Canberra bid leader Ivan Slavich said that officials "must act fast if they want to launch a campaign for the capital to generate support for the competition's expansion," according to Chris Dutton of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The A-League is set to grow by at least two teams in '18-19, "with one bookmaker installing Canberra as the third favourite to win a licence." There have been rumors about a "growing push" for Canberra to lobby Football Federation Australia for a spot in the competition, despite Slavich's A$5M bid being "snubbed eight years ago." The ACT government said that it is "unaware of any proposal from Canberra but would be open to giving it support if a business case was put forward." Just 5,497 fans watched the Central Coast Mariners play the Wellington Phoenix at Canberra Stadium in November "as part of a two-game deal in the capital." Slavich said that Canberra's "best way of securing A-League content is to back the Mariners given the FFA has said it is unlikely to expand into areas with populations of less than 1 million people." Slavich: "I don't know of a bid and I haven't heard of anything from Canberra." The potential of an A-League franchise "would increase pressure on the ACT government to fast-track plans for a new rectangular stadium with a roof in Civic" (SMH, 12/6).