U.S. Soccer Federation may pay for its players in possible new women’s professional league.

One of the big concerns over the rebirth of a new American women’s professional soccer league has been whether clubs could afford to pay the bigger salaries for United States women’s national team stars such as Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Hope Solo, who’ll give teams and the league drawing power.

But during a media briefing Friday, United States Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said if a new league can be formed for 2013 the USSF may pay for its stars. “A big part of that (league) participation would be that the national team players would play in this league and perhaps be funded directly by U.S. Soccer,” he said.

Gulati has been guarded about just how much the not-for-profit USSF may involved, particularly financially. He also  revealed that 11 potential ownership groups in 10 cities are in on discussions as plans move forward, and that the United Soccer Leagues (USL), if the league happens, would handle running it. The Rochester Rhinos have been affiliated with the USL in all but one their 17 seasons.

While Gulati didn’t disclose specific names of prospective teams, the Western New York Flash have been in on league discussions. In fact, when Gulati was in Rochester on Sept. 1 for the U.S. women’s Victory Tour win over Costa Rica, 8-0, in front of 13,125 fans, he spoke with Flash coach Aaran Lines and had hoped to talk with Flash owner, Joe Sahlen. The Buffalo-based Flash, who’ve played home matches at Rochester’s Sahlen’s Stadium the past two years, won the WPSL Elite title last summer and in 2011 captured the last championship in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) before that league’s demise. In 2010, the Flash won the USL’s W-League crown.

The two former women’s pro leagues that have failed in America — WPS (2009-11) and the Women’s United Soccer Association (2001-03) — each lasted only three seasons. Wambach said in late August many U.S. national team players would likely wait until November or December to decide if they stay home and play in a new league or play abroad during 2013 and 2014 . The Americans’ schedule will be limited the next two years without the World Cup or Olympics. The 31-year-old Wambach said she hopes her legacy, in part, can be to help develop a sustainable women’s pro league. With 147 goals, she is just eight shy of tying Mia Hamm’s world record.

The U.S. has four upcoming exhibitions: Against Germany on Oct. 20 in Napierville, Ill., and Oct. 23 in East Hartford, Conn.; against Ireland on Nov. 28 in Portland, Ore., and Dec. 1 in Glendale, Ariz. Gulati said Jill Ellis, development director the the U.S. women, will coach the Americans in its October matches, but she is not a candidate to replace Pia Sundhage, the new head coach in her native, Sweden. Ellis is a former Sundhage assistant. Gulati said the USSF has received 25-30 inquiries about the head coaching job and hopes to have a successor named in the next several weeks. It’s not known of Lines is a candidate, but Paul Riley, a two-time WPS Coach of the Year with Philadelphia, has garnered interest. Riley formerly coached New York City-area men’s teams in the USL before focusing more on women’s side starting in 2006.