The proposed Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, has been cancelled due to financial risks and last-minute complications imposed by the Asian Football Confederation.
The Serie A match between AC Milan and Como, scheduled to take place in Perth, Australia, on February 8, has been cancelled.
The decision was made due to “unacceptable requests” from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which made it impossible for the match to go ahead.
Serie A president Ezio Simonelli expressed disappointment, stating that the league had followed the complex authorization process and accepted the AFC’s sporting conditions. However, the AFC’s last-minute demands made it financially unviable for the match to proceed.
The match was initially approved by the Italian FA and UEFA, with the San Siro stadium being unavailable due to the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Serie A saw the match as an opportunity to promote Italian football abroad and follow the example of other sports like cycling, NFL, and NBA.
The AFC had imposed conditions, including appointing match officials, which Serie A had initially thought was resolved. However, further demands led to the cancellation.
This cancellation marks another setback for European leagues seeking to play matches abroad, following LaLiga’s decision to cancel a match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami.
