If their application to join an enlarged 12-team A-League in 2019-20 is successful, Southern Expansion would split games between three different venues.

The others are within the two other local football associations the bid aims to represent - Jubilee Oval in Kogarah and WIN Stadium in Wollongong.

Sharks chairman Dino Mezzatesta, meanwhile, has also pledged the club's "full support" to Southern Expansion's bid.

Former NSW premier Morris Iemma, who has succeeded the late Les Murray as Southern Expansion's chairman, welcomed the cross-code agreement.

"We are focused on grassroots engagement with our local community and this Memorandum of Understanding means we can work with the Sharks in order to best utilise the stadium and provide our local fans and visitors with a complete match-day experience when they come to watch Southern," Iemma said.

Southern Expansion is backed by Hong Kong property conglomerate JiaYuan Group and received council approval late last year to build a 30,000-seat stadium in Loftus and a football academy in Barden Ridge.

JiaYuan has reportedly pledged $300 million to fund the new stadium, which would presumably become the full-time home of the A-League team.

Southern Expansion chief executive Chris Gardiner said: "Our research suggests that football supporters in each of the three areas in our region - the Shire, St George and Wollongong - want a club for the region and will travel to their local stadia to watch games."

Southern Expansion are considered one of the favourites to be granted a spot in the A-League, with formal expressions of interest set to be called by Football Federation Australia in the next two weeks.

Former NSL champions Wollongong Wolves have also indicated their intention to bid for an expansion licence as a stand-alone Illawarra side.