Once the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) took over administration of the ALM, the team put two bids up to them to obtain a licence in early-mid 2022, but was again unsuccessful.
A-League4Canberra, a Canberra-based consortium led by TransACT CEO Ivan Slavich, was determined to apply for and receive a licence to compete in the A-League, commencing in the 2010–11 season.
FFA agreed to Slavich's request to extend the deadline for bids until August 2008, and Australian international players Carl Valeri and Ned Zelic became foundation members.
The decision came in the wake of FFA's announcement that expansion beyond ten teams was on hold for the foreseeable future in preference to consolidating and strengthening the existing clubs.
Capital Football CEO Heather Reid told FourFourTwo, "The ALeague4Canberra bid group is being wound up and foundation memberships will be offered back to those who signed up".
ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, had stated that the only chance for a new stadium to be built is for the venue to be utilised year round by at least 3 tenants.
[19] 16 May 2018, the Canberra & Capital Region A-League bid announced further detail of its 'community ownership model' mirroring the 50+1 rule imposed on German clubs by the DFB (Deutscher Fußball-Bund).
Out of the $10–12 million yearly operating budget to run a team the bulk of costs would be covered from the ACT Government, the A-League broadcast deal and match day revenue.
[29] 11 July 2018, The Canberra bid opened up foundation membership applications with the goal of reaching 5,000 members as well as partnering with the re-formed Capital Punishment active supporter group.
It was also revealed that the bid had gathered over 3,000 members prior to the next push with volunteers on the ground at the FFA Cup match between Canberra FC and Broadmeadow Magic.
Rhinos head coach, Gabriel Abdala, believed that a Canberra-based A-League team would provide Riverina juniors and seniors a pathway to the elite level of Australian football that is currently lacking.
[35] 1 August 2018, it was revealed Canberra's A-League bid had been in negotiations for some time and were close to signing a partnership agreement with one of two unnamed European football clubs that compete in the UEFA Champions League.
Ron smith is the former head coach at the AIS football program between 1986 and 1996 that developed future national team players such as Mark Viduka, Lucas Neil, John Aloisi and Brett Emerton among others.
[40] Bid leader, Michael Caggiano, told reporters present at the unveiling in front of the AIS "Ron has a vision for football in the Canberra and Capital region, a blueprint that has worked on a national level that he knows can be replicated throughout the wide talent base that exists in our community,"[41] 13 August 2018, Canberra's A-league bid team revealed the desire to establish an eSports team to compete in the FFA organised E-League.
[42] 14 August 2018, Federal ACT minister, Andrew Leigh, made public his support for the Canberra and Capital region A-League bid.
[43] Leigh spoke in the ACT Federation Chamber about how the bid reflected the community, encouraged people to put their name to the cause and stated how the Canberra region is the largest in Australia that lacks presentation in the A-league.
[45][46] 24 August 2018, Ex-Canberra Cosmos player and current Singapore based sports executive, Pj Roberts, was made the second appointment to the Canberra & Capital region A-league bid's advisory board.
The ex-Weston Creek junior has spent the last sixteen years based in Singapore and has been a regular football analyst for Fox Sports Asia.
[57] 27 August 2020, Capital Football chief executive, Phil Brown, announced the organisation's support for the new bid and interest in entering into discussions regarding a potential partnership with their successful women's program, Canberra United FC.
[59] 2 September 2020, it was reported that if CRFC was successful in obtaining a licence, the new $20 million ACT Home of Football training and administration facility in Canberra's north, would be completed in time to accept a new tenant.
Capital Football's chair, Fran Sankey, indicated that the new facility, due for opening in 2021, could be expanded if an A-League tenant joined.
[62] 3 November 2021, after months of no communication from the Capital Region Football Collective, it was confirmed that the bidding team was still active in perusing an A-League Men's license for Canberra.
The bidding team confirmed it had been approached by the APL to open negotiations about an expansion license and the two parties had met in the week leading up to Christmas.
[68] The APL set a soft-date target of June 2023 for a formal bid submission to be provided to them from interested parties from the two identified cities.
[69] Bid Director, Michael Caggiano, responded to Canberra's shortlisting by the APL by saying he was confident in bringing in private sector, government and community investors for a fourth time to raise the $25 million needed for the license.
[70] The possibility of a Canberra A-League Men's team being granted a license brought with it questions regarding how this will affect the Canberra United A-League Women's team, who are owned and operated by Capital Football, as well as the ACT Government's plans for a future Civic Stadium project and the ACT Home of Football training and administration precinct project.
[74] Current Adelaide United head coach, Carl Veart, also threw his support behind the expansion of the A-League Men to Canberra and Auckland.