Football Federation Australia delayed the announcement of the A-League expansion shortlist "after some bids were asked to provide more financial details," according to Ray Gatt of THE AUSTRALIAN. FFA was expected to reduce the number of candidates from 15 to around six on Tuesday, but it is "now unlikely to go public" with the decision until later in the week or by early next week. An FFA spokesperson confirmed Deloitte, which was appointed as lead adviser in late April to assist with the process of A-League expansion for the '19-20 season, had "gone back to the contenders seeking further clarification." The spokesperson said, "It's going to take a few more days (before the shortlist is revealed)." Some applicants have reportedly been asked to "submit more details concerning financial modelling, money in the bank and what they might be prepared to pay" for a license. A decision on the two franchises to be included in a revamped 12-team A-League will be made in October, though there have been calls for FFA to "upgrade to a 14-team set-up if there are four quality bids" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/13).
