THE Sunshine Coast is poised to enter the A-League expansion race.

A consortium worth “billions of dollars in global investment” headed by Brisbane-based Indian entrepreneur Nirav Tripathi and including businessmen from Singapore, Dubai and China is ready to bankroll a bid.

Tripathi, whose multinational group of companies known as Diya has also formed a partnership with former FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah to establish football academies, has already had productive meetings with Sunshine Coast Council.

He is also expected to meet with Football Federation Australia officials before FFA release its expansion criteria in February.

media_camera Nirav Tripathi, the Diya Group chairman. Photo: Jodie Richter

A-League boss Greg O’Rourke has publicly stated that the competition will expand by two clubs for the 2018-19 season.

The Brisbane Strikers have already indicated they will bid to be part of the expanded A-League, while Ipswich-based fellow NPL Queensland club Western Pride are also likely bidders.

Tripathi envisaged a Sunshine Coast A-League playing out of a revamped Sunshine Coast Stadium at Kawana. The boutique venue could eventually hold 10,000 spectators as part of ongoing work at the facility.

“My idea for an A-League club on the Sunshine Coast is real,” Tripathi said. “The A-League club will be backed by a consortium. I’ve been studying A-League clubs for the past six years and there have been problems and mistakes made.

“It’s there’s only one investor in an A-League club, it’s likely to fail, so I don’t want to repeat history. I want to do the right things with the right people.”

Tripathi has conducted surveys on the Sunshine Coast about the region’s interest in an A-League club and the establishment of a Weah-endorsed football academy, and was more the encouraged by the response.

media_camera Brisbane Striker could be part of the expansion bid. Pic Jono Searle.

“Before I do anything, anywhere in the world, I would like to know the thoughts of the people,” Tripathi said.

“I don’t want to hurt the local people or do anything against the local people. If the local people’s support is there, then you are always winning.

“I want to do the right thing by the community and the right thing by the environment.”

Former AC Milan star and decorated Liberian international Weah said he was pleased to align himself with Tripathi’s Diya group.

“I share their vision for using the world game (football) in a very positive way in order to help develop emerging nations and offer hope and opportunity to young people where they may have little or no options available,” Weah said.