Comprising of 11 inaugural members all serving a voluntary two-year-term, the panel will advise the FFA's Football Development Committee (FDC) on technical and developmental matters.

Members will include some of the nation's top footballers including former Leeds United and Celtic striker Mark Viduka, former Manchester United and Aston Villa goalkeeper Mark Bosnich and former midfielder Josip Skoko.

Others involved are coach Frank Farina and current Matildas and Avaldsnes IL defender Clare Polkinghorne, who has 125 caps for Australia.

They are joined by Ron Smith, Paul Okon, Heather Garriock, Vicki Linton, Joey Peters and Connine Selby.

Those on the FDC Board include chair Remo Nogarotto, former defender Amy Duggan and former Socceroos winger Mark Bresciano.

FFA chief executive James Johnson believes the starting XI panel will make a positive contribution to the development of the sport through their vast amount of experience.

In March, 70 per cent of the organisation's staff were stood down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnson said: "Since joining FFA I have made it clear that we will be a football-first organisation that seeks to harness the collective knowledge and experience that our most successful contributors - be they current or former players, coaches, or officials have to offer.

"We have had to act quickly to stabilise the organisation during this difficult period.

"In the background, however, we have been moving several pieces to ensure that we continue to do the work which will be vital to launching the future of football in Australia."

Australia's women's national team endured their worst performance at the Women's World Cup last year since 2003, when they were knocked out in the last-16 in France after defeat on penalties against Norway.

However, they did hand Brazil their first group stage loss in 24 years.

The men's team have only enjoyed one World Cup win from the past three tournaments and were knocked out in the group stage in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

Their best performance came in 2006 in Germany when they made the last-16.

In 2006 their appearance ended a 32-year absence from the World Cup, having only ever qualified before in 1974.

Since becoming a member of the Asian Football Confederation after the 2006 World Cup, Australia's men won their first Asian Cup in 2015 before being knocked out in the quarter-finals in the 2019 edition against the United Arab Emirates.