Official Como 1907 statement – Sums up fools gold of moving league matches abroad | OneFootball

Sandro Tonali and Malick Thiaw’s old club AC Milan are continuing with their plans to play their Serie A match against Como 1907 in Australia.

La Liga admitted defeat, at least for the time being, in playing one of their league matches abroad, with Villarreal and Barcelona seeing their planned match in the USA (Miami) in December cancelled.

Plenty of pressure applied by fans, players and other concerned parties BUT that cancellation coming amidst claims that it had not turned out to be the moneyspinner that the interested parties had all expected/hoped it would be.

For the overwhelming number of fans in all countries, the idea of playing any league matches in another country, is simply unacceptable.

One of the sops of the planned Villarreal v Barcelona game in Miami, was that 5,000 Villarreal fans would be flown out for the match, the match they would be missing from the normal league programme at their stadium.

The cost of that alone would have been substantial.

In an official Como 1907 statement (see below), they have a more modest plan to fly out a token 50 fans.

However, what this overall statement simply proves to me, is that Serie A and La Liga are chasing fools gold with these ideas of playing league matches abroad. That as well as the countless integrity and moral arguments that league matches shouldn’t be taken away from their natural proper fanbase.

Como 1907 claim that by having league matches played overseas, it will restore Serie A to its past glories and position in world football.

This is simply crazy, if they honestly believe that their salvation will be playing more and more of their league matches in other countries.

The state government in Western Australia are still desperate to see this plan come to fruition and Como 1907 play AC Milan in Perth, if it happens, it would be the first time a major European league has hosted a game for points outside its home region.

Hopefully pressure will be applied from all parties, fans and players in Italy as well as other concerned individuals and organisations.

AC Milan’s own midfielder Adrien Rabiot was quick to label the plan “absurd” and that just about sums it up.

The thing is as well, if Serie A and/or other major European leagues did start to play league matches abroad, then we all know that Premier League owners would be very quick to follow. Indeed, the Liverpool ownership have already stated they are desperate to see matches played abroad.

Here’s hoping that this travesty doesn’t go ahead and fans in Serie A (as well as La Liga and all other leagues) will continue to watch ALL their league matches in their own stadiums.

The official Como 1907 statement on how playing league matches overseas will mean Serie A restored to its past glories…

‘Dear Como Family, Friends, and Fellow Serie A Supporters,

If approved by the FIFA, Como 1907 will travel to Perth, Australia this February to face AC Milan, taking part in a shared mission to make Serie A the conversation of world football once again, and to secure a stronger future for every club that represents Serie A.

We understand that this journey may demand sacrifices in convenience, comfort, and routine. Yet sometimes sacrifice is essential, not for individual benefit but for the greater good, for growth, and above all, for the survival of the league itself.

We have all seen what happens when a league fails to evolve. In France, the collapse of the domestic broadcasting deal left clubs in turmoil, players unpaid, and fans disheartened. French football is still struggling to recover from that setback.

Meanwhile, the Premier League continues to dominate the global stage. Its latest broadcasting agreements are worth over £12 billion for the next cycle from 2025 to 2029, including £6.7 billion from UK domestic rights and around £6.5 billion from international deals. For the first time, its overseas income is now worth more than its domestic rights.

By comparison, Serie A’s domestic TV deal is valued at about €900 million per year, and its international rights generate less than ten percent of what the Premier League earns abroad. This imbalance gives English clubs an enormous financial advantage, allowing them to keep their stars, attract the best talent, and expand their global influence.

We must ask ourselves honestly how we can retain our best players, build competitive teams, and attract the world’s elite to Serie A if we do not adapt. This is not a matter of greed. Most clubs in Italy are not profitable. It is about ensuring survival, and building a future where Serie A remains competitive, respected, and globally admired.

Our goal is clear. We want to restore Serie A to the glory it enjoyed in the 1990s, when Italian football was the most watched, most respected, and most loved league in the world. To achieve that, we must evolve, unite, and make Serie A the talk around the globe again.

Just as we proudly represented Italian football at The Soccer Tournament (TST) in the United States, we now carry that same mission to Perth. This is not just a match. It is a statement of intent, a movement to reconnect the world with the beauty, culture, and passion of Italian football.