The Football Federation Australia board "could be spared the embarrassment of being overthrown by FIFA" after a majority agreement for a new FFA congress was reached late on Tuesday, but only if its "two fiercest opponents rubber stamp the latest proposal," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The "bitter civil war" that has engulfed Australian football for the past year is "one step closer to ending after the nine state football federations are understood to have made a breakthrough by reaching a majority agreement for a new membership structure" of FFA. After being told by FIFA to expand its congress from 10 votes (nine for the states and one for the A-League clubs) to become "sufficiently democratic and inclusive of the game," the majority of FFA's members reached an agreement for a 15-seat congress, ensuring the states retain nine votes, four for A-League clubs, one for Professional Footballers Australia and one for women's football (9-4-1-1). However, approval from FIFA and the end of its involvement in Australian football's governance will "only occur with the blessing of the 9-4-1-1 model" from the A-League club owners and PFA. It is understood that the clubs and PFA are "unlikely to accept the new model on the grounds of accountability." Another issue is the "lack of clarity surrounding the one vote reserved for women's football." All three stakeholders are in agreement for a standalone vote for female participants, but "ambiguity over the state's proposal of who holds that seat at congress has the clubs and PFA hesitant to accept the proposal" (SMH, 9/13).
