Careers, reputations and, in the case of FFA chairman Steven Lowy, the legacy of his family's huge contribution to the game, are on the line.

Lowy has fought an increasingly bitter battle with the A-League clubs, the players' union and other key stakeholders in the game over his plans for a reform of the congress.

(Explainer: What Thursday's FFA annual general meeting means)

He says his program extends the voting franchise to sufficiently represent key parts of the game and show world governing body FIFA that he and the FFA are serious about increasing representation on the congress and giving all elements of the game a voice in shaping its future.

The clubs and Lowy's opponents say his plan is too limited and ensures a built-in hegemony at the top for the state federations. The federations, say Lowy's opponents, are in general too beholden to the FFA leadership to act independently and will vote as a bloc whichever way the board directs them.

FIFA has taken a dim view for a while and has been monitoring the machinations of FFA and its opponents for several months. By Friday tomorrow it may have taken control of the situation.

Its interest was reportedly piqued when Lowy succeeded his father, with no opposition.

Whether Steven was the right man for the job - on paper he looked to have some terrific credentials with his long-term involvement in the game, and business and financial connections - the manner of his appointment certainly raised eyebrows.

Due process may have been followed to the letter and there is no suggestion that there was anything inappropriate about the way he took the top job, but for many the son following the father did not look right.

Sadly the Lowy name, once such an asset in the game, may now have become too toxic for him to survive even if somehow peace broke out in the hours leading up to the momentous EGM. Paradoxically, it still holds great appeal in the business and political worlds that the sport is looking to tap into for influence and financial support to grow.

It is expected that Lowy will get seven of the 10 votes in congress, which is enough to win the vote, but short of the 75 per cent majority he needs to carry through his program to change the make-up of a future congress.

Should that happen, the most likely outcome is a temporary FIFA takeover through a normalisation committee.

Lowy made a last-ditch plea in a statement earlier this week: "It's in the best interests of the game if congress members vote in favour of expanding the congress and improving representation in our sport. We then want to move urgently to resume working with the Hyundai A-League clubs and other stakeholders to create a new separate operating model for the A-League, a change which will be critical to growing our commercial base and introducing new teams to the competition."

Laudable ambitions. Today will show whether the rifts are now too wide for him to get his wish.

The A-League product on the field is at a high standard, and the Socceroos have just qualified for the World Cup for the fourth time in a row.

But the game has rarely been in such a mess off the field: rows over governance, rifts between key stakeholders, concerning crowd numbers, disappointing TV ratings, and the shock resignation of coach Ange Postecoglou means that there will be no national coach in Moscow representing Australia at Saturday's World Cup draw.

Maybe the darkest hour is just before the dawn.