The eight-team competition is expected to start its first season in February, about the time the W-League season will be winding up.

Gill has played football for Eastlake and Ainslie, but has focused on soccer in recent years as she tries to put niggling ankle injuries behind her.

Speaking at the announcement on Monday that University of Canberra had signed on as United's jersey sponsor for another two years, Gill was confident United could go a couple of steps further than last summer's semi-finals.

While Gill hoped it wouldn't impact Canberra United this season, she still felt the draw of women's AFL was a threat to all the traditional female sports.

Not only has Gill tried her hand at footy, but United teammates Jenna McCormack and Ellie Brush have as well.

"I think players and organisations around Australia for not only soccer, but other sports, they need to be mindful of [the AFL] because I think it will attract girls to the sport," she said.

"It is a really appealing competition by the look of things."

The new deal with the Uni of Canberra will take their involvement with United to six years and acting vice-chancellor Frances Shannon said they still had plans to make their alliance even closer.

In addition to Super Rugby team ACT Brumbies having their headquarters on campus, UC wants to build a soccer stadium, which could become United's home, as well as a nine-court, multi-sport facility for basketball, volleyball, netball and futsal.

It's part of the Uni's plan to become the best sporting tertiary institution in Australia.

It also owns WNBL team Canberra Capitals and sponsors the Brumbies, as well as offering elite players from those teams the opportunity to study.

But they were unable to secure funding for the second phase of their sporting commons from the federal government.

Shannon said the development was still on their agenda and were looking at alternative avenues to find the money.

"We are working on possible proposals for stage two. We haven't got anything to announce yet, but we are moving in that direction to develop our sporting facilities further," she said.

"We are working on other potential options for funding."