Croke Park have summoned representatives from all 32 counties to attend Saturday's meeting.

It is understood that the issue was discussed at length at the GAA's annual congress recently in a session which was closed to the media.

The GAA say that they arranged their gathering before the rebel GPA announced the date for their Extraordinary General Meeting in Portlaoise.

Croke Park and the GPA are currently poles apart on the issue of what expenses should be paid to intercounty players.

The GPA have demanded a weekly rate of 127 Euro but this has been firmly rejected by GAA president Sean McCague.

GPA chairman Dessie Farrell has urged players to turn up to Saturday's Portlaoise gathering in big numbers.

"The GAA have stalled our discussions in the hope that the GPA will lose momentum in the summer months," said Farrell.

"In this absence of this EGM, that would probably be the case," the Dubliner footballer added.

The GAA contend that they are making conciliatory moves to placate players.

McCague has admitted that he is far from happy with the way some county boards have failed to allocate All-Ireland Final tickets to intercounty players.

The GAA president also acknowledges that there have been unacceptable delays in furnishing players with the expense allowances that the current rules provide for.

However, the latter comment is unlikely to satisfy the GPA who say that the current expense scheme gives players derisory recompense.