Pressure group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) has urged Italy’s Serie A to cancel its plan to host a regular season match between Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, early next year.
The call came after Spain’s La Liga dropped a similar idea. La Liga had planned to hold a Villarreal vs. Barcelona game in the United States but scrapped it following strong backlash from players and fans.
“This is a big win for European football and for everyone who believes the game belongs in its communities,” FSE said in a statement. “Now it’s time for Serie A to do the same.”
FSE warned that taking a domestic match overseas would hurt Italian football’s image. “The game has no place 15,000 kilometres away from its home,” it said.
Serie A has not yet responded to the criticism. Milan has received “reluctant” approval from UEFA to play the match in Perth in February while San Siro remains unavailable due to preparations for the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The match still needs clearance from Football Australia, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and FIFA. If approved, it would be the first Serie A game ever held outside Italy.
Milan’s French midfielder Adrien Rabiot recently called the idea “crazy” and “absurd.” But Serie A Chief Executive Luigi De Siervo dismissed his concerns, saying players should respect their employers.
De Siervo compared the plan to the global reach of U.S. sports leagues. “The NFL and NBA have been playing abroad for years,” he said. “Football must follow that model if it doesn’t want to fall behind.”
Meanwhile, Western Australia’s Sports Minister Rita Saffioti said she expects the match to go ahead. “We’ve had very supportive comments from the Italian league,” she told ABC. “We’re just waiting for the AFC’s final approval, which could come within days.”
