Fans? Tick. Stadium? Tick. Support from the Australian coach? Tick. Canberra A-League bid officials are adamant the capital has already proven itself as an elite football destination and they've found support in Graham Arnold.
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All eyes will be on Canberra Stadium as A-League officials prepare to kickoff the 2019-20 A-League season.
More than 16,000 fans are expected to pack the venue when the Socceroos host Nepal in a joint 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifier on Thursday.
It will be the first chance for A-League officials to assess support in Canberra after the capital's bid for an expansion licence was snubbed last year to instead add third teams in Sydney and Melbourne.
Football Federation Australia indicated Canberra as next in line to join the competition but the nomination was thrown into question once they surrendered control of the A-League.
Club owners have taken independent ownership of the competition and revealed a long-term plan for a full home-and-away season by 2023.
Arnold has backed Canberra's case for an expansion licence and says the capital "definitely has a place in football at the highest level in Australia."
"They showed that many years ago in the old National Soccer League. They had their own stadium, their own fans and their own franchise which wouldn't take anything away from the Sydney or Melbourne teams," Arnold said.
"It's definitely a city which has a lot of ambition and backing. I'm sure one day shortly we'll see Canberra in the A-League."
The A-League is one of the only national football competitions in the world which doesn't have a club representing their capital city.
Canberra's population size has been a roadblock in previous bids but it's understood A-League organisers will look to new geographical areas for at least one expansion club.
The ACT has the highest participation rates of soccer per state in Australia, with 7.2 per cent of the adult population having participated according to AusPlay.
"Canberra has always been a football capital, it's very well backed and has a high participation rate of juniors playing the game," Arnold said.
"It gives kids an opportunity to fulfill their goals if they see an A-League club in Canberra.
"It's not only important to have a pathway in the capital city but also to have a pathway for kids all around Australia so they can fulfill their dreams of being a professional footballer and have a fantastic life like a lot other elite sportsmen do."
Canberra A-League bid-leader Michael Caggiano says the capital has "nothing left to prove" and is looking to work closely with the competition's new owners.
"Our future no longer is the responsibility of the FFA, but rather the clubs who now own the league," Caggiano said.
"On that front we're emboldened by comments of the clubs around targeted expansion in the future. We're looking to work closely with the clubs to make that a reality as soon as possible. We are ready.
"We have more football participants than all the other winter codes combined in Canberra so you can do the math on the projected fans in the area"
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
Thursday: Socceroos v Nepal at Canberra Stadium, 8pm
Lucie Bertoldo
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
