Daviesbelieves the issue needs discussing

London is bidding to host the event and the matter will be raised as there is a Great Britain team in all sports apart from football at the Olympics.

If the idea received the go ahead it would mean the four Home Nations - England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales - joining forces to put a team into the competition.

But with the four countries being individually recognised by world football's governing bodies, Uefa and Fifa, there is likely to be opposition to the plan from certain quarters.

Soccer as whole is supportive of the Olympic bid and certainly there will be people who will want us to be part of any soccer tournament David Davies

A major fear is that the four countries could lose their separate status even if a Great Britain team is formed as a one-off for the 2012 Olympics.

The repurcussions could then involve a Home Nations side having to compete in a united form in football's major competitions, including the World Cup.

"The issue of British participation at an Olympic Games in London is bound to be raised," said the FA's David Davies, who is also British football's representative in the British Olympic Association.

"For England's part, we will play a positive role in those discussions.

"I think everybody understands why we have not been participating (in the Olympics) in the past 30 or 40 years but there's no question that this matter needs to be debated again."

Informal talks are set to take place to discuss the issue with the first meeting reportedly possible at the Champions League final at Old Trafford on 28 May.

Davies, speaking to the Guardian newspaper, added: "Soccer as whole is supportive of the Olympic bid and certainly there will be people who will want us to be part of any soccer tournament.

"Bringing that about won't be easy, but I suspect there may be a will to resolve it."