Milan-Como heads to Australia, UEFA warns: Keep football in Europe | OneFootball

European Commissioner Glenn Micallef speaks out after La Liga’s halt to the Miami match: “We trust that Serie A will also reflect on this approach”

Milan-Como in Australia, the EU rebukes Serie A: “Keeping football rooted in Europe strengthens everyone”

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The proposal to play Milan-Como in Australia, valid for the 24th round of Serie A, continues to spark debate. After UEFA’s provisional green light for the Lega Serie A project, the first official reactions are also coming from the European Union, which calls for reflection on the cultural and sporting significance of continental football.

Glenn Micallef’s statement: “A victory for European football”

Taking a stand was Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture, and Sport. The Maltese politician commented on the matter after the Spanish La Liga’s decision to cancel the match between Barcelona and Villarreal scheduled for Miami, bringing it back to Spain.

“I welcome La Liga’s decision to cancel the Miami match. It is a victory for fans, players, and for the traditions that make European football special,” Micallef wrote in a lengthy post on social media.

The commissioner then added: “It represents a clear reaffirmation of the European Sports Model and the values it embodies. We must continue to work together with leagues, clubs, and UEFA to safeguard integrity, fair competition, and the bond between clubs and their communities. I trust that Serie A will also reflect on this approach. Keeping our football rooted in Europe strengthens everyone.”

The European Union’s position: safeguarding the European Sports Model

Micallef’s words reflect a growing concern in Brussels: that of preserving the essence of the European Sports Model, based on territorial proximity, competitive fairness, and the involvement of local communities.

The risk, according to the commissioner, is that excessive internationalization of professional football could lead to a progressive detachment between clubs and fans, turning national competitions into global commercial events at the expense of sporting identity.

The La Liga precedent and the domino effect on Serie A

The EU’s intervention came after La Liga’s decision to cancel the match between Barcelona and Villarreal scheduled in the United States. A choice that, according to Micallef, “created a domino effect” and prompted the European Union to also intervene in the Italian situation.

The match between Milan and Como, scheduled for the weekend of February 7-8, 2026 in Perth, Australia, is part of an experimental project by Lega Serie A aimed at promoting the league beyond European borders.

UEFA and FIFA between diplomacy and awaited decisions

Despite UEFA’s preliminary green light, the project is not yet final. FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have yet to express their opinion, but the feeling is that political and institutional pressures could influence the final decision.

As Micallef emphasized, “European football must remain close to its roots and its communities,” a message that seems directed as much at Serie A as at other leagues considering the possibility of matches abroad.

An open debate between modernity and tradition

The clash between commercial needs and the protection of sporting traditions is becoming increasingly heated. On one side, professional leagues are seeking new economic opportunities and global markets; on the other, the European Union and part of the football world are calling for the preservation of the cultural and social nature of the sport.

The match between Milan and Como, still hanging in the balance between Perth and San Siro, risks becoming a symbol of this tension.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.