The changes to Football Federation Australia's (FFA) ruling Congress, which is expected to be expanded from 10 members to 29, were approved 8-2 in a vote at the meeting - just over the required 75 per cent majority.

It brought the protracted dispute surrounding the formation of the Congress, which forced FIFA to intervene and threaten to suspend the governing body if they did not adopt the reform package, to a close.

The introduction of the reforms also ends the chances of Australia being unable to defend their Asian Cup title in January.

The result also ignored the criticism from Sport Australia, the nation's Government agency responsible for sport, and was greeted with disdain by current FFA chairman Steven Lowy.

Lowy has already confirmed he will not stand for re-election following the long-standing power-struggle within the organisation and claimed the outcome of the meeting had "crossed a red line".

"Clearly the FFA board is extremely disappointed with the outcome of today's meeting," he said, according to international news agency Agence-France Presse.

"We believe the loser today is the principle of independent governance."

Lowy added: "Suffice to say, the game today has crossed a red line. 

"From a corporate governance model for football, to one with stakeholders with vested interests [which] will compete for power and resources."

A working group will now look at the implementation of the expanded Congress, which will then meet at a later date to elect new directors onto the board.

A process to consider and propose a new Leagues governance model was also unanimous passed at the meeting.

It could see the A-League, the top-tier domestic football league in Australia, being spun-off from the FFA from as early as the 2019-2020 season.

"I hope for the best for the game but I certainly fear for the worst," added Lowy.

"This is a governance regime I choose not to serve on and I reiterate that I will not offer myself for re-election at the upcoming Annual General Meeting."