SERIE A SCRAPS PLAN TO STAGE AC MILAN–COMO MATCH IN AUSTRALIA
Read Time:1 Minute, 28 Second
Agency Report
Plans to relocate the Italian Serie A fixture between AC Milan and Como to Perth, Australia, in early February have been cancelled following mounting criticism and logistical challenges, organisers announced on Monday.
In a joint statement, Serie A and the government of Western Australia said the decision to abandon the proposal was reached by mutual agreement.
“Plans for Perth to host the first-ever European league fixture played outside its national borders are off by mutual agreement,” the statement said, citing financial risks that could not be mitigated, onerous approval conditions, and last-minute complications beyond the control of both parties.
The match was scheduled for February 8, as AC Milan’s home ground, San Siro, will be unavailable on that date due to preparations for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, slated to hold two days earlier.
Serie A president Ezio Simonelli attributed the cancellation to demands made by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which he described as unacceptable.
“Due to an escalation of further unacceptable demands made in the last few hours by the AFC, it has become impossible to play the Milan–Como match in Perth on 8th February,” Simonelli said.
The proposed relocation, which would have required the teams to undertake a round trip of more than 13,000 kilometres, sparked criticism from players, including AC Milan’s France internationals Adrien Rabiot and Mike Maignan, who questioned the impact of the travel on player welfare.
The cancellation comes just two months after Spain’s La Liga shelved plans to stage a Barcelona league match in Miami, United States, citing uncertainty over approval and regulatory issues within Spain.
The decision underscores the growing challenges facing European leagues seeking to export domestic fixtures abroad amid regulatory, financial and player welfare concerns.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0