That would trigger an eye-watering cash bonanza for the A-League,withThe New York Times reporting this week that FIFA has engaged an American financial advisory firm,The Raine Group,to source the US$1 billion ($1.53 billion) it needs to get the 24-team concept off the ground.
Johnson has intimate knowledge of the Club World Cup proposal - he was involved with its development during his time as FIFA's head of professional football,and as secretary of FIFA's football stakeholders committee,has first-hand knowledge of how it has divided the world game.
Many of Europe's major clubs are against it and UEFA see it as a potential threat to their Champions League. Others see it as a way of spreading football's wealth across other continents - but there is also widespread concern about the potentially destructive impact it could have on the competitiveness and financial disparity within domestic leagues,if participating clubs were awarded distributions that could be in the vicinity of $100 million.
Johnson believes the game's stakeholders should come together and form an"Australian view"on the Club World Cup.
"We've never been part of these discussions,and we must be part of these discussions going forward,"Johnson toldThe Sun-Herald."We must have a common position for Australia so we can take it up with FIFA,the leagues can take it up through the World Leagues Forum and the PFA can take it up through FIFPro.
"There's a big split in world football... some would think it will help,others will think it won't. We need to articulate an Australian view and enter this debate."