The ACT Government is in negotiations for the Socceroos to play a friendly in Canberra in 2013 as part of the city's centenary celebrations.
And this time they want the Australians to play a big drawcard, not a minnow.
Just over 10,000 people watched an under strength Socceroos side thrash world No148 Malaysia 5-0 at Canberra Stadium in October.
ACT sports minister Andrew Barr discussed the prospect of a heavyweight nation playing in Canberra with Football Federation Australia boss Ben Buckley at Saturday's W-League decider at McKellar Park.
Barr is adamant Canberra's 100th birthday deserves a marquee Socceroos fixture, not a mismatch against a weak opponent.
A match in the capital between an A-League 'All Stars' side and an international club in 2013 also remains a possibility.
''I did stress to them we only turn 100 once, so make this a good one,'' Barr said.
''We're talking about not having another Malaysia-type opponent, but a more serious match.
''It was great to have Malaysia, but in a centenary year you want to do it well with a full-strength Australian team playing.
''The four [World Cup] qualifiers are already committed to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, but after they're finished it may provide us with an opportunity for a higher-profile match in the second half of the centenary year.''
The 2512 sell-out crowd that attended the W-League decider has not harmed Canberra's chances of being granted an A-League license.
Almost $400,000 for the bid remains in trust, despite a Federal Government report released last month advising the FFA not to expand the A-League for at least the next two to three years.
''We speak regularly to Ivan [A-League for Canberra bid chief Ivan Slavich] and they understand there's no specific time frame,'' Buckley said.
''I would say to all Canberra football followers, keep putting on events like that [W-League] grand final, and that time frame could be shorter.
''The time will come for Canberra to apply for an A-League team. When that is, it's too premature to put a time frame on at the moment, but clearly there's a strong following for the game.''
However, Capital Football chief executive Heather Reid is prepared to wait as long as it takes until the proposal becomes financially viable.
Reid wants to avoid meeting the same fate as financially-strapped Gold Coast, whose crowds border on embarrassing.
''I wouldn't want to be in charge of an A-League team in Canberra unless we have everything in place, it's too risky,'' Reid said.
''They really have to concentrate on what they have now and consolidate, and I understand that.
''The FFA is still propping up a number of teams, and that's not healthy. We need $6 million dollars [to run an A-League side] and that's not my call, that clearly has to come from A-League for Canberra.''
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