The Government has told the crisis-hit FAI that it won’t bail them out, and UEFA is now under renewed pressure to keep the troubled association - €55m in debt - afloat.
On Monday night, FAI chiefs met Minister for Sport Shane Ross for emergency talks geared towards securing the association’s financial future.
It is understood the FAI was looking for more than €10 million although the football body refused to comment when quizzed specifically on figures.
Ross said: “It was very tense because the FAI are in a very grave and dark place.
“They were looking for support from the government, which we were unable to give them - financial support in other words.
“We said we are not in the business of bailing out the FAI under any circumstances.”
The FAI requested the talks - which they described as “open and honest” - to explore the possibility of financial assistance.
It was the first time that Ross had met the FAI since the infamous Oireachtas committee hearings in April.
But in a statement last night, Ross said: “The government cannot provide direct financial support to the FAI.
“We will be seeking an early meeting with UEFA in the coming days to intensify the search for a solution to the deep problems inflicted on the FAI.”
UEFA - the governing body of European football - has already stumped up €15 million to keep the FAI afloat.
Leaving Leinster House last night, Cooke said: “It was a very constructive meeting and we will engage again.”
Asked if the FAI was solvent, he added: “We are engaged in financing negotiations with our banks.
“It's a movable thing when you are engaging with anybody and we are engaged in financial discussions with our banks.
“We’re still engaging in financial negotiations. A lot of us are engaged in that.
"We are working a lot of hours on this refinancing, that's the key priority for us.
“There are a lot of parties involved in this, how this will evolve I don't know but there are a lot of parties involved.”
FAI board members John Finnegan, Joe O’Brien, Dick Shakespeare, Martin Heraghty and Dave Moran and communications chief Cathal Dervan also attended the meeting.
FAI president Donal Conway was not part of the delegation and stayed behind at Buswells Hotel with FAI chief operating officer Rea Walshe.
But after the meeting, Cooke and his fellow members returned to the hotel where they held their own debrief with Conway and Walshe.
Of the meeting, Ross said in a statement: “The FAI directors accepted the need for all previous directors to exit.
“The FAI directors accepted the need for a full change of culture in the organisation.
“The FAI directors accepted the need for the independent Chair and directors to be appointed urgently.
“The FAI directors accepted the need for the appointment of an independent CEO without undue delay.”
