Canberra FC and Tuggeranong United have joined the newly formed Australian Association of Football Clubs and were represented at its inaugural meeting in Melbourne on Monday.
The National Premier League Capital Football clubs are part of the 97 of 129 NPL clubs who have joined the AAFC, while Canberra Olympic have shown interest.
The Melbourne meeting was organised in just a matter of weeks by NPL clubs who are keen to set up a national second division.
Tuggeranong president John Thiele, who was in Melbourne and voted in as the ACT representative on the AFFC, emphasised it was about building a relationship with Football Federation Australia.
"It's more than getting a second tier competition, it's about getting a seat at the table of the FFA and ensuring we are appropriately represented," Thiele said.
Melbourne lawyer Tom Kalas was elected chairman of the AAFC and Thiele said the wheels are already in motion to get the association officially off the ground.
"Kalas spoke with his contact at FIFA and they like what they hear so we've put together a steering committee which I'm on for the ACT region and given ourselves a timeline of three months to establish a constitution and formalise the various board positions," Thiele said.
"The next step will be to get a seat at the table of the FFA and there is already close discussions with Tom Kalas and David Gallop and Emma Highwood to get a seat at the football congress meeting with FFA next week."
Thiele confirmed Monday's meeting went for almost four hours and said there were several agendas on the table, but clubs were ultimately working towards a common goal.
"There were former NSL clubs there so there were some pretty high expectations and high ambitions with some clubs wanting a spot in the A-League," Thiele said.
"Our ambition is just to lift the profile of the NPL and get more money flowing down into grassroots football which I suggest is the ambition of most NPL clubs around the country.
"A handful of clubs want to have a second tier competition, probably 20 to 30 clubs, but there are a lot more questions than answers in that regard right now.
"There is a big call from FIFA for promotion and relegation in this country and I know it has been discussed at the highest level in the FFA, but it's not being progressed which comes down to funds associated with running such competitions."
The NPL Capital Football launched its season on Wednesday with several clubs undecided if they will support a second division.
