It's believed it's either be to buy the Central Coast Mariners or to form a completely new club.

The Mariners licence is officially on the market with owner Mike Charlesworth reportedly wanting $4 million for it.

But it's believed Canberra's A-League bid will announce on Tuesday they're willing to offer a figure in excess of that - potentially to relocate the Mariners, but it could also be to set-up the 13^th A-League team.

It's unclear whether they were looking to take over the licence next season or the following season.

Their European financial backers have stood firm with the bid, despite Football Federation Australia overlooking them in 2018 when they announced a two-team expansion of the league.

They instead went with Western United, who still haven't built their stadium, and Macarthur FC, who have been beset with turmoil despite not joining the A-League until next season.

Macarthur has also had one of their major financial backers pull out.

In contrast, the Canberra bid has Canberra Stadium as their home ground, their major backers have stood firm by the bid and they also have the support of the ACT government.

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Andrew Barr's government was willing to kick in $1.2 million every season to the Canberra bid to help bring elite men's soccer permanently back to the ACT for the first time since the demise of the Canberra Cosmos.

The Cosmos played in the now-defunct National Soccer League for six seasons until they were excluded from the competition in 2001.

The FFA assured Canberra they were the next cab off the A-League ranks back in 2018 and have repeatedly reinforced that statement.

But it wouldn't be the first time the FFA has gone back on their word, with the ACT told the same thing back in 2009 when they missed out to the now Melbourne City - only for the FFA to then go with the Western Sydney Wanderers three years later instead.

Canberra's A-League bid has also received the backing of former NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

Iemma was part of the failed Southern Expansion A-League bid and is also a Football NSW board member.

"If the FFA is minded to allow relocation of the licence, relocating it to the ACT would strengthen the A League and strengthen football," he said when Charlesworth announced he wanted to sell the Mariners almost three weeks ago.

Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp was hopeful of keeping the Mariners on the Central Coast, but was open to relocation.

The Mariners played two A-League games at Canberra Stadium in the 2016-17 season, but didn't receive enough support to make it worthwhile returning for a second campaign.