Matildas captain and star striker Sam Kerr sits down with ESPN to share her journey from Aussie rules to soccer and what coming home to Perth truly means. (3:53)

Change is coming to the W-League as league chiefs consider a raft of reforms aimed at bolstering Australia's women's domestic competition and the national team.

The biggest impact for fans could be the missing stars -- led by Australian skipper and striker Sam Kerr -- who is likely to test her talents for Chelsea in England's Women's Super League.

Both head office and Perth Glory have privately given up hope of keeping Kerr for the W-League's 11th season.

"It looks unlikely that she'll return to play in the W-League this year, but Sam has not or her management hasn't informed us of where she might play," FFA head of leagues Greg O'Rourke told AAP.

Kerr is finishing up her season with the Chicago Red Stars along with a raft of other Matildas in the United States' National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

With another golden boot-winning campaign, Kerr has taken the Red Stars to the playoffs where she'll be joined by six other Australians. Lydia Williams and Steph Catley play for Reign FC, who will take on the North Carolina Courage in Sunday's first semifinal, while Kerr and teammate Mackenzie Arnold will go head-to-head with Hayley Raso, Caitlin Foord and Ellie Carpenter of the Portland Thorns later that day (Australian viewers can catch both semifinals LIVE on ESPN2 on Monday morning).

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The longstanding alignment between the NWSL and W-League has kept senior Matildas in action for the whole calendar year, serving Australian talent well.

But it's being firmly re-considered as the FFA, with a watchful eye to growing European leagues, ensures the W-League is one of the "top five leagues in the world."

Matildas legend Lisa De Vanna has opted against a W-League campaign this summer and is scoring goals for Fiorentina in Italy, while Emily Gielnik has headed to German giants Bayern Munich.

Others could also head to the increasingly professional European leagues.

While that means Australian fans will miss out on seeing Matildas stars, players union chief John Didulica said their moves should be applauded.

"[We're] about increasing the options and opportunities for players," he told AAP. "This might necessarily lead to some of our world class players ending up at the world's largest football institutions, but that is a great thing for the game and the players.

"The challenge for the W-League is to ensure that the gap between its own club operations and the world's leading clubs isn't allowed to become too big and that they remain as attractive destinations."