❌ Serie A confirms it: Milan and Como won't play in Australia | OneFootball

The Lega Serie A has officially announced the cancellation of the historic match between AC Milan and Como 1907, which was scheduled for February 8, 2026, in Perth, Australia. Despite the initial enthusiasm and support from FIFA and UEFA, the match will not be played outside Italian borders due to bureaucratic and economic obstacles.

Financial Risks and AFC Demands

The decision was made in mutual agreement with the Government of Western Australia. The main reason lies in the "additional conditions" imposed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to authorize the event. According to the statement, meeting these demands posed an unacceptable financial risk for both Serie A and the Australian sponsors.

The Minister of Sports of Western Australia, Rita Saffioti, described the resolution as "disappointing but correct," emphasizing that the government was not willing to expose public funds to such a high level of economic uncertainty.

A Lost Opportunity for Internationalization

The president of Lega Serie A, Ezio Simonelli, deeply regretted the outcome, describing it as a "lost opportunity" for the global growth of Italian football. This match aimed to be the first of a European championship officially played outside its continent of origin, a goal that was also recently thwarted for LaLiga with the failed Barcelona-Villarreal in Miami.

Despite the cancellation, the organizers highlighted that the project generated more than 280 million dollars in media visibility for the city of Perth since April, demonstrating the enormous global interest in exporting elite football to new markets.

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

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