Secrecy:South West Sydney bid head Gino Marra.Credit:Simon Bennett
However,Fairfax Media has learnt that the South West Sydney and Macarthur hopefuls have decided to combine and form what will effectively be a super bid for a start in the A-League for the 2019-20 season and beyond.
The deal has been cloaked in secrecy. South West Sydney director Gino Marra declined to comment when contacted on Sunday and calls to United for Macarthur bid chairman Chris Redman were not returned.
But it is understood FFA are likely to be informed about it by Monday and an official announcement is expected to follow soon after.
The amalgamation shapes as a significant development in the expansion process as FFA looks to spread the wings of the national competition 13 years after it was formed.
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The joint venture will be pitted directly against the Southern Expansion group in a head-to-head contest to be named as the city’s third A-League club alongside Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers.
The merger is being seen by those with knowledge of it as a common sense move given that the bid teams had shared territory and both had visions of playing their home games at an upgraded Campbelltown Stadium if they were successful in their applications. There are other synergies with both also backed by local associations and favouring a community model. The community would be consulted on the team name and colours.