Serie A has abandoned plans to stage AC Milan vs Como in Australia after late complications, with the historic overseas league fixture now cancelled.
Serie A has officially abandoned plans to stage a domestic league match between AC Milan vs Como in Australia. The fixture was scheduled to be played in Perth in February but will now not go ahead. Had it taken place, the game would have marked the first time a European domestic league match from the top five leagues was staged outside its home continent.
The Italian league confirmed the decision on Monday following what it described as late complications in the approval process. Serie A said it had become impossible to proceed under the final set of conditions imposed on the project. The announcement brought an end to months of planning around a proposal that had already divided opinion across European football.
Serie A president Ezio Simonelli pointed to fresh demands from the Asian Football Confederation as the decisive factor behind the cancellation. He said the new requirements were directed at the Australian federation, the government of Western Australia, and Serie A itself. According to Simonelli, that escalation ultimately left the league with no viable option but to pull the plug.
Simonelli revealed that Serie A had already accepted several conditions despite clear sporting concerns. These included allowing a domestic Serie A match to be officiated by non-Italian officials. However, further requirements introduced at a late stage were deemed unacceptable and impossible to accommodate.
UEFA had reluctantly approved the plan in October after lengthy discussions. That approval was granted alongside permission for a proposed La Liga match between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami. Both projects have since been cancelled, underlining the difficulty of staging competitive domestic fixtures abroad.
The Milan vs Como match had been pencilled in for February 8th in Perth, Western Australia. It was arranged because the San Siro will be unavailable during preparations for the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics which Milan is co-hosting. AC Milan had been forced to explore alternative venues for that period, opening the door to the overseas proposal.
The idea of staging a Serie A match abroad attracted strong criticism from supporters’ groups across Europe. Football Supporters Europe said one domestic match outside its home country was already too many. Much of the concern centred on sporting integrity, supporter access, and the erosion of traditional matchday culture.
Some players also expressed reservations about the proposal. Critics argued the move prioritized commercial growth over competitive fairness and player welfare. Serie A leaders, however, continued to defend the plan as part of a broader long-term vision for the league.
Serie A executives have repeatedly argued that overseas exposure could help close widening revenue gaps. The league earns roughly €200 million per year from international television rights. That figure remains far behind the Premier League and La Liga, which generate significantly higher overseas income of €2.2 billion and €700-800 million respectively.
Como had previously backed the proposal, describing sacrifice as essential for the league’s long-term survival. Serie A officials insisted global visibility was vital to future growth. Despite those ambitions, the financial, logistical, and regulatory risks ultimately proved too great.
The Milan vs Como fixture has yet to be relocated within Italy. Serie A has not confirmed where or when the match will now be played. The two clubs are based less than an hour apart, making rescheduling domestically straightforward in theory.
AC Milan currently sit one point behind league leaders Inter before Christmas. They return to Serie A action this weekend with a home match against Verona, while Como will travel to Lecce. For now, Serie A appears to have closed the door on exporting domestic league matches abroad.
