Hashtag 'Fill the MCG' 2.0.

All eyes will be on the neighbouring nations when FIFA picks the winning bid on Thursday. And rightly so.

The 'As One 2023' bid was the highest ranked by FIFA over the two remaining countries, Japan and Colombia, just last week.

There's been so much hype over the joint-bid but has Football Federation Australia overlooked the most important part of growing women's soccer in this country?

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A viable domestic competition.

The W-League is at risk of becoming a development competition as its top players head overseas for better pay and game time.

Sam Kerr was the first domino to fall when she signed a multi-million dollar contract with Chelsea, leaving the W-League without its marquee player.

Former Canberra United star Ellie Carpenter became the lastest Australian to join the mass exodus to Europe this week, signing with French powerhouse Olymique Lyonnais.

The prospect of playing regular games in a fully professional league has proven too irresistible for Australia's biggest stars, but who can blame them for leaving our shores?

Calls for a full home and away season have so far fallen on deaf ears, and player earnings vary wildly across the competition.

The National Women's Soccer League and European competitions have up to 30 matches per team, while W-League clubs play just 12.

The W-League needs to be extended to a full home-and-away season and player salaries need to be increased for it to remain viable for international talent.

It would only add a couple of weeks to the W-League calendar, increasing it from 14 rounds to 16.

The Women's Big Bash League, WNBL and Super Netball all have home-and-away seasons, so why not provide Australia's best female footballers the same opportunity?

If the 'As One 2023' bid is successful then it can be used as a catalyst for change.

Australia and New Zealand will be thrust into the spotlight for the next three years, providing the two nations an opportunity to become a destination of choice for the world's best players.

New Zealand has already recognised this. The Wellington Pheonix has expressed interest in joining the W-League, with the club looking to take advantage of the joint bid to push for a licence.

But a home-and-away season is a priority ahead of expansion and any proposed changes would depend on budgets in a post-coronavirus world.

Soccer is facing an interesting time. There is talk the A-League will be moved to a winter timeslot to compete against the NRL, Super Rugby and AFL for crowds and viewers.

But where does that leave the women's game? Does it still fit into the summer slot? Or should it be moved, too? The silence is defeaning!

The FFA is yet to confirm a starting date and competition structure for the 2020-21 season. Nor have league officials made a decision on whether imports can play.

So while hype builds around FIFA's impending announcement, Australian players and clubs have been left in limbo about what the W-League's future may look like.

The FFA has a unique opportunity to build off one of the biggest announcements in the history of Australian women's sport. Why not follow it through with some W-League clarity?

Let's hope the opportunity doesn't pass them by.