A major fund set aside for bringing high-profile players to the A-League will be scrapped a year after it came into effect, with Football Federation Australia set to drop its marquee fund before the start of the season.

Fairfax Media understands $3 million set aside by FFA to assist clubs purchasing big-name stars is on the chopping block and is set to be redirected to the clubs, but only conditionally for marketing purposes.

Tim Cahill could be the last stop for marquees arriving in the A-League. Credit:Paul Jeffers

As part of the clubs' ongoing pay dispute with FFA, the governing body has all but confirmed its intention to scrap the fund that was hoped to rejuvenate the enthusiasm of clubs signing marquees such as Alessandro Del Piero, Shinji Ono and Tim Cahill. In a letter from the clubs unanimously rejecting the organisation's latest pay offer, it is alleged the FFA proposed to provide each of the 10 clubs a conditional increase of $300,000 for marketing of the league, with the funds to be distributed after the approval of Whitlam Square.

"The inclusion of the $300,000 marketing grant in the proposed 17/18 distribution is the result of the FFA administration extricating itself from the centralised marquee proposition that it sold in the broadcast deal, against the advice of the clubs and in the face of the obvious realities of the global transfer/player market," the letter from the club chairman read.