A handful of female players have pressed charges against national team Technical Director, Didier Luna and former trainer Sigifredo Alonso, while there have also been reports of players having to pay in order to play.

While that was all the bids Nikou spoke about during the briefing, trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand are looking at hosting the 2023 tournament. 

Speaking with Stuff.co.nz ahead of the deadline, New Zealand Football interim chief executive Andrew Pragnell confirmed the federation would submit an expression of interest.

The country has previously hosted three age-group World Cups including the under-17 women's event in 2008 and had been interested in hosting this year's tournament but withdrew in the early stages.

However, Nikou has warned that the future of bid will depend on the AFC's backing.

"My reaction is always one of practicality," he admitted.

"If I get the feeling the reality is, pardon the expression, that we are pushing shit uphill then I'll say, 'Sorry guys, let's position ourselves for subsequent bids.'

"I'm not going to waste time and money and burn capital we don't have. Everyone tells me it would great to have the World Cup in Australia but we have got to be realistic."

Nikou has described Australia's position within Asia as "fragile". 

“We have good friends and support to the East, but we’re not that well liked to the West," he said.