The A-League's two newest clubs have been all but chosen but whether they actually join an expanded 12-team competition as planned next year remains to be seen.

A-League chief Greg O'Rourke will front Tuesday's board meeting of Football Federation Australia and says he will make a recommendation as to which of the eight bidders should be successful.

Players from the A-League and W-League at yesterday's season launch. Credit:AAP

Ordinarily, the board would ratify that decision and a public announcement would be made by October 31 - the deadline FFA had set itself at the beginning of the expansion process. But it appears highly likely that outgoing FFA chairman Steven Lowy and his fellow directors will leave the final call up to the new board, which is due to come into power at next month's annual general meeting.

It could then take up to another month or even longer for the new board to assess the applications and confirm the identity of the two new teams. That, in turn, would mean expansion would take place in 2020-21 - not a season earlier as had been envisaged.