Australia's Professional Footballers Association announced on Wednesday that Football Federation Australia had withdrawn its recognition of the official players' union, in a move that has seen the relationship between the union and the governing body further deteriorate.
The PFA said that the FFA's decision would take effect on Friday after a breakdown in negotiations between the two organisations over a new collective bargaining agreement.
The PFA has represented Australia's national footballers since 1993, but could face the prospect of losing its power.
"FFA's decision was communicated to the PFA as negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) reached an impasse when FFA terminated the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that has underpinned the game's relations with its players for the past eight years," the PFA said in an official statement.
"With the Socceroos, Matildas and A-League CBAs having all expired in recent months, the termination of the MOU removes the last legal protection for Australia's professional footballers."
Media Statement | FFA Withdraws Recognition of PFA. http://t.co/ZBQxsrSIUx pic.twitter.com/sRR1i4GfIf
- The PFA (@thepfa) August 12, 2015
But the FFA responded with a statement of its own on Wednesday, denying that the MOU had been removed.
"FFA continues to be committed to ensuring an appropriate MOU is agreed between FFA and the PFA, as part of a CBA, and any assertion that FFA intended to move forward without a CBA or MOU is wrong," said FFA CEO David Gallop.
"FFA will continue to recognise the PFA and the role it plays and was preparing for an agreed face-to-face meeting with the PFA regarding the CBA this morning, which was cancelled by the PFA after the scheduled start time."
FFA has released a statement regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement: http://t.co/tos5ofu3Uj pic.twitter.com/Rca296hrBv
- Football Australia (@FFA) August 12, 2015
Any kind of industrial action from players -- a strike has been speculated -- could disrupt the ongoing FFA Cup, which is now in the Round of 16 stage, and the 2015-16 A-League season, which begins in October.
After details of A-League salary cap and squad concessions were released on Tuesday, the PFA cited concerns around the A-League salary cap freeze, "inadequate" safeguards for the contracts of A-League players and "a refusal to implement a robust licensing system in accordance with international standards".
The salary cap freeze -- it will stay at AUD$2.55 million for the new season -- has also angered the PFA. That's despite other reforms to the wages' structure, including AUD$200,000 outside the salary cap for players with five to 10 years' service to a single club.
"The announcement unilaterally imposes the salary cap freeze rejected by the players in the CBA negotiations which will largely undermine the reforms and place even greater pressure on the A-League's core player group," the statement said.
"FFA has left the PFA and the players with no option but to take the necessary steps to secure the rights and wellbeing of Socceroos, Matildas and A-League players under Australian industrial law."
While a players' strike could affect club football in Australia, the Socceroos' World Cup qualifiers next month aren't expected to be affected.