The NFL's concussion settlement with most retired players appears close to being accepted.

Opposition to the settlement has dwindled, with no more than a few hundred of the 18,000 former players eligible for the settlement and as little as a few dozen choosing to "opt out".

The dwindling opposition increases the likelihood that the settlement will be approved after a "fairness hearing" before U.S. District Judge Anita Brody next month in Philadelphia.

Players are given three choices: accept the settlement; opt out, which allows them to continue suing the league; or object, which means they want the judge to reject the deal. A large number of opt outs would put additional pressure on Brody, but as of last week, just nine players had filed papers to do so, the lead negotiator for the plaintiffs, Chris Seeger, told the court in a conference call.

After the NFL agreed in June to lift a $765 million cap, the opponents said too few players would qualify under the terms.

"It's just a terrible situation," said Jason Luckasevic, a Pittsburgh attorney who began working on the issue in 2007 and filed the first concussion case against the NFL four years later. "This deal is not anywhere near what it should have been."