The ACT hopefuls are the last of the regional bidders left standing after FFA culled Wollongong and Ipswich at a board meeting on Tuesday to leave six left in the race.
And bid leader Michael Caggiano contends that despite FFA drilling down on the bonafides of those remaining, Canberra will stand up to the deepest scrutiny and provide a point of difference to the other five - Western Melbourne Group, South Melbourne, Team 11, Macarthur South West Sydney and Southern Expansion.
“We’re offering a team in a region that’s crying out for it,” he said.
“My question to the FFA has always been: who are the fans in those cities (Sydney and Melbourne) you don’t think you are getting with the current teams?
“We know for sure there is an appetite here for a team. We’ve got, without really trying and over a period of only six weeks, 7,500 foundation members who are financially committed to being part of setting the club up.
“The FFA sent the two worst performing teams at the time - Wellington Phoenix and Central Coast - for an A-League game to Canberra Stadium, and got 5,500.
“That’s diehard fans in Canberra who will go and watch any football team play.
“It’s a base to build off and we are confident of 10,000 to 12,000 crowds.”
Financed by a consortium of investors and with significant state government funding also pledged, the bid is thought to have up to $40 million in the kitty.
That’s understood to include a partnership with a major European club - the details of which will be revealed should Canberra be one of two new teams granted entry for 2019-2020.
A new FFA board, to be elected some time next month, will finalize the timetable but it’s anticipated expansion will not be put on the back burner for any longer, so long as the bids can prove their financial wherewithal.
“We are very confident in that space,” added Caggiano.
“There are a few little things to be ticked off with investors and this (Canberra’s selection in the final six) will bring certainty to those conversations.
“The message from FFA is that they have settled on the regions they want to expand into and we are the only one currently not represented in the league.
“We have millions of dollars committed in future budgets from the state government, which makes us quite strong from the start.
“We have a ready-to-go stadium and Canberra has plans to develop a brand new stadium in the city centre.
“The city hosted games at the 2015 Asian Cup and Canberra Stadium was voted to have the tournament’s best surface.
“We also averaged 14,200 per game here without having a Socceroos match, so there is absolutely an appetite for football.
“We have federal government interest for infrastructure projects in the region - and they would use the A-League team as a vehicle to implement that.”
Caggiano has also forged an agreement with the Australian Sports Foundation which involves tax concessions for community donations.
Former Socceroos assistant and AIS head coach Ron Smith - who helped produce the Golden Generation - has also been recruited as director of football.
The major European club see the potential Canberra club as a possible talent incubator and appear prepared to invest.
But Caggiano was giving little away of the intentions of the overseas club, saying only: “There are investors but we can’t say right now who they are because of commercial-in-confidence.
“We don’t think it’s fair to mention them until we’ve got the signature on the license agreement and I’m sure they’ll come out publicly after that.
“But let’s not kid ourselves ... capital adequacy is vital and we are extremely confident we have what’s required to get this over the line.
“We’ve got the budget and investment to be a tier one club.”
In addition to players, Caggiano also aims to help develop coaches, administrators and physiotherapists in an over-arching approach that encompasses sports science and medicine.
And if successful an agreement will be in place with Capital Football to bring Canberra’s existing W-League team under the A-League team’s umbrella.
“We’re the only capital city on earth which doesn’t have a team in its own national league,” added Caggiano.
“On top of that we actually have a team from another country’s capital (Wellington Phoenix).”
Asked if Canberra would fight on for an A-League spot if they missed out on this occasion, Caggiano replied: “I’m a guy that doesn’t stop till it’s done and I won’t be letting up until we have a team.
“I think we are one of the better place bids, to be honest, to go in next year.
“We have the infrastructure ready and are good to go.”
