Fifa is set to back plans for a Great Britain football team to play at the 2012 Olympics, despite opposition from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The issue will be discussed by Fifa in Tokyo and the sport's world governing body is expected to agree to a British team participating at the London Games.
However, it will not yet sanction its participation beyond 2012.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has already expressed his desire to have the hosts represented at the Games.
And it is thought he would be happy for all the players to be English if the other home nations refused to allow their players to take part.
The one Fifa figure who might have opposed the move, vice-president Jack Warner from Trinidad and Tobago, now looks unlikely to do so, and insisted: "I remain open on the matter."
The Football Associations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have openly expressed their concern that a Great Britain football team would threaten their ability to compete in future international tournaments as separate teams.
Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke has attempted to assure these bodies that this would not be the case but Uefa president Michel Platini has said he understands the nations' fears.
And an SFA spokesman responded to news of Fifa's likely impending approval of a Team GB by saying: "Our opposition to Team GB remains resolute.
"Our concern is that Fifa members and Fifa executives in the future would not have the same view as this one - and, subsequently, our status as an independent member would be threatened."
By 2012, it will be 52 years since a British football team has participated in the Olympics.
