The current regulations allow 23-man squads under a $3.03 million salary cap, of which two designated players can be paid outside, exceptions for long-serving players, homegrown players and mature-age rookies. Loading Despite recent concessions, the A-League still has one of the highest rates of player turnover in world football. This year, almost two-thirds of the players in the competition are coming off contract, illustrating a culture where clubs resort to short-term deals. According to those working in the industry, that's largely perpetuated by the salary cap constraints. "If you look at the list of players that are out of contract every year it is frightening," player agent John Grimaud said. "That’s an indictment on the league and you wonder why we don’t get transfer fees for players. Clubs aren't inclined to scout properly so they don’t take risks with signing players. They sign them for one year and if they make it, good. If they don’t, they cut them and move on. That’s the problem with the salary cap." Australian football is missing out on significant revenue streams which the PFA claims is due to the salary cap. With short-term contracting so widespread, the A-League is missing out on the massive global spike in transfer fees. In the past six years, transfer fees received by Asian clubs has doubled from $84 million to $170m. Over that period, transfer revenue in the A-League fell from $3.7m to $2.6m.

"The salary cap has proven to act as a barrier to our players developing as footballers, to clubs building sustainable businesses that capitalise on the growth of the global football economy and to our sport building better teams and competing – on all fronts – with greater success," Didulica said

Loading Against teams operating without salary cap restrictions and squad size constraints, Australian teams are falling behind in other income streams. In AFC Champions League performances bonuses and prize money, competing Australian teams received $326,000 last year. Japanese teams were rewarded with over $6m. By failing to retain more national team players, many of whom are no longer playing in high-profile European leagues, A-League teams are lagging behind in World Cup benefits paid by FIFA to clubs to compensate clubs for the number of players took part in the tournament. From the 2018 World Cup in Russia, $1.7m was paid to A-League teams, South Korean teams received $4.4m and J-League clubs were given $5.1m . Money aside, there are questions raised by the PFA over the competitive balance provided by the cap. According to PFA research, there is a greater proportion of games won by a margin of three goals or more in the A-League than the major five European leagues. The A-League has had a more varied list of winners, in part due to the final series, though Central Coast Mariners appear set to finish bottom for three of the past four seasons and the points ratio between wooden spooners and premiers has almost doubled in the past nine years.

The clubs are yet to reach consensus on the future of the salary cap. Some appreciate the cost certainty. Others see it as preventing them from reaching their full potential and competing for silverware in Asia. United under the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association, the A-League club owners are split. The APFCA chairman, Western Sydney Wanderers owner Paul Lederer, says the matter remains a delicate topic within the group but one they must address in the near future. No consensus: Paul Lederer says the issue of the salary cap must be handled delicately among club owners. Credit:Wolter Peeters “It’s a major subject that has got to be considered very carefully," Lederer said. "There will be discussions in the next few weeks about that, probably very shortly as to where do we stand as clubs and what do we want to do.” They appear unanimous in relaxing the cap constraints. As part of their submission for a new A-League operating model, APFCA want to increase the number of foreign players in the A-League from the current limit of five and follow in the footsteps of the MLS in USA, where clubs have eight spots on average.