After finally sealing their financial future, Canberra United could be right back where they started.
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The struggling A-League Women club face having their funding from governing body Australian Professional Leagues almost cut in half - potentially leaving them with a $150,000 financial hole to fill.
It's believed Canberra United's funding from the APL will be cut from $350,000 to about $200,000 under the new deal announced on Wednesday, when A-League Men clubs also took a massive hit.
Clubs who run both a men's and women's team have had their funding slashed from about $2 million for last season down to about $530,000 with the APL coming under massive financial pressure this year.
The blow comes after Capital Football had guaranteed they would continue running Canberra United for the upcoming ALW season after they received a $200,000 boost from the ACT government.
But almost all of that money is set to be countered by the decrease in cash coming out of head office for the upcoming season.
![Canberra United could again face an uncertain future after having their funding slashed. Picture by Karleen Minney Canberra United could again face an uncertain future after having their funding slashed. Picture by Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/ed59a325-0bdc-4e8f-a300-d6bf62d3c0d7.jpg/r0_148_5140_3049_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's unclear what that means for Canberra United and whether Capital Football will stick to their promise of leading the ALW club through the 2024-25 campaign.
ACT soccer's governing body threw United into turmoil when they admitted they were unable to continue running the ALW club due to rising costs.
The government funding has propped them up, but it hasn't stopped an exodus of their top players.
Nikki Flannery, Sasha Grove and Chloe Lincoln have all signed for other ALW clubs already and it was hanging in the balance whether leading ALW goal scorer Michelle Heyman would re-sign.
Canberra United coach Antoni Jagarinec was confident Heyman would stay with the club's she's been the spearhead for more than a decade.
Capital Football chief executive Samantha Farrow simply said they were now working with the APL.
"The club has spoken to Australian Professional Leagues and been informed about the reduced club grant ahead of the 2024-25 A-League season," Farrow told The Canberra Times.
"We are working with the APL on the implications of the change in the club grant."
Meanwhile, it's believed the drop of funding won't affect Canberra's chances of getting an ALM team.
The consortium has known about funding reduction for awhile, with talk it would be slashed leaking out earlier in the year.
Unlike the other A-League clubs, the Canberra bid will get funding from the ACT government - just as the Canberra Raiders and ACT Brumbies do - with that money helping ensure less reliance on the funds from head office.
While the announcement of a Canberra team continued to drag on, APL commissioner Nick Garcia reiterated that the capital would have a team entered in the 2025-26 ALM season during the announcement of the funding cuts.
It's believed the consortium still planned to take over Canberra United if they finalise their license before the upcoming season.