A-League expansion in Canberra has been proposed since the establishment of the A-League in 2005. Before the introduction of the league, Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy speculated that he hoped to expand the competition into cities such as Canberra, among others. Supporting a Canberra bid for admission into the A-League is its strong junior participation rates in football and an already existing W-League club, Canberra United.
A Canberra-based bid was first announced in July 2008. The bid, named 'A-League4Canberra', was led by TransACT CEO Ivan Slavich, and gained support from many local business leaders including the manager of Canberra Stadium, where the team was expected to be based. In 2012, after multiple failed attempts to join the league the bid suspending its efforts to secure an A-League licence. Since that time, expansion into Canberra has gained momentum with FFA expressing interest to increase the size of the league from 2017.
A-League4Canberra bid
A-League4Canberra, a Canberra-based consortium led by TransACT CEO Ivan Slavich, was determined to apply for and receive a licence to compete in the A-League, commencing in the 2010–11 season. FFA agreed to Slavich's request to extend the deadline for bids until August 2008, and Australian international players Carl Valeri and Ned Zelic became foundation members. However, A-League4Canberra failed to secure the 12th licence they had applied for as Sydney Rovers was later given the licence instead. The Slavich-led consortium then moved forward with the intention of competing for the 13th licence. The first formal step in that process was to present an application to the A-League Licence Review Committee in August 2008. At the time, Canberra was one of ten bids expected by Football Federation Australia (FFA) for up to four available licences, but was considered to be strongly positioned to succeed and had support from the highest levels within FFA.
On 5 March 2009, Canberra Stadium hosted an Asian Cup qualification match between the Socceroos and Kuwait. FFA officials said that, if Canberra attract over 20,000 to this game then they will be the likely destination for the twelfth A-League licence. The trial in Canberra saw 20,032 fans attending the match. However, in September 2009, a poor crowd to an A-League game at Canberra Stadium was recorded and doubts surfaced about the viability of the bid.
On 10 May 2012, A-League4Canberra announced that it was suspending its efforts to secure an A-League licence for the Australian capital city. The decision came in the wake of FFA's announcement that expansion beyond ten teams was on hold until for the foreseeable future in preference to consolidating and strengthening the existing clubs. A-League4Canberra CEO Heather Reid told FourFourTwo, "The ALeague4Canberra bid group is being wound up and foundation memberships will be offered back to those who signed up".