SINGAPORE - Following an international ban on Brunei side DPMM, and with the Super Reds planning to turn local in 2010, Japan's Albirex Niigata are the only foreign team confirmed for next year's Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League.

But with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) keen on maintaining the league's foreign dimension, applications from Asian, African, Australian and European teams are currently under consideration.

The front-runners are Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Beijing Guoan (reserves) and an Australian team.

Former Manchester United and England defender Paul Parker is keen on fielding a Darwin-based team, who will compete on a home-and-away basis, like DPMM did this year. The team will comprise players plying their trade in the Australian state leagues and Gombak United chairman John Yap is keen on the Aussies playing here.

"Bringing a Caucasian team into the league is new. Their physical football will give us an extra dimension. It will be beneficial to local boys, especially if the team has quality," Yap told MediaCorp yesterday.

Australian sides Perth Kangaroos and Darwin Cubs played in the FAS Premier League in 1994 while three Chinese teams, Sinchi FC, Liaoning Guangyuan and Dalian Shide have competed in the S-League.

The logistics of flying Singapore teams to Darwin could be a stumbling block, though. The Football Federation of Australia also have to give their blessings before the plan can become reality. Which probably means Beijing Guoan have a slight edge.

The FAS revealed that a technical team from the club were here recently to assess the game and FAS officials are due to fly to Beijing to look at the final squad before giving the nod. Beijing want to field their reserve side in the S-League, while their seniors compete in the CSL, similar to the arrangement with J-League side Albirex.

While the S-League's doors remain open to both a local Super Reds outfit and DPMM, the Brunei side face a struggle that is out of their hands, as the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (Bafa) remain in the international wilderness following Fifa's suspension on Sept 30 for government interference in the association's affairs.

Said a Bafa official: "It's not fair to say nothing's going on, but nothing's changed in terms of Bafa's status. We're still trying to get the authorities to reconsider, but they're throwing the book at us. What can we do?"

The FAS remain hopeful, and with another Chinese team, Chengdu Blades, and a French side applying to play next year, they hope to finalise the line-up by year's end.