Lega Serie A, the organizing body for Italy’s top-tier soccer league, has responded to criticism from the European union’s Sports Commissioner regarding its proposal to stage a regular-season match between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, next year. The league characterized the commissioner’s comments as “excessive,” asserting that the initiative will promote Serie A on a global scale.

The FIGC, Italy’s soccer federation, gave the nod last month to AC Milan’s request to move their home game against Como to Perth. This decision stems from a scheduling conflict with the 2026 Winter Olympics in Northern Italy, specifically the opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro stadium on February 6, which falls on the same weekend as the match.

Other European leagues are exploring similar ventures. Spanish clubs Villareal and Barcelona have put forward a proposal, already approved by Spanish soccer’s RFEF, to host a LaLiga regular-season game in Miami, Florida, in December.

EU Commissioner voices disapproval

EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef voiced his opposition to the Perth proposals, calling the moves “a betrayal of the fans.”

“European football must stay in Europe.”

In a post on social media platform X, Micallef stated: “I’m deeply disappointed by proposals to stage domestic league matches outside Europe.”

“To me, it’s clear: European competitions must be played in Europe. European football must stay in Europe.”

“I believe that clubs owe most of their success to their loyal fans and local communities … moving competitions abroad isn’t innovation, it’s betrayal.”

Serie A Defends International Strategy

In response, Serie A argued that Micallef’s remarks “underestimate the complexity and strategic value of initiatives aimed at promoting Italian football on a global scale.”

The league drew parallels with North American leagues like the NBA (basketball) and NFL (American football), which regularly hold regular-season games overseas as part of their international expansion strategies.

Serie A further stated: “To speak of betrayal for a single match, out of a total of 380 Serie A matches, seems an excessive position, which risks fueling a populist debate, far from a constructive and modern vision of sport.”

“Taking a match abroad does not mean exporting the championship, but rather introducing new audiences to the excellence of Italian football, strengthening the competitiveness of the system and generating resources that have a positive impact on the entire movement, including at youth and amateur level, in return for a small sacrifice required of the Milan and Como fans, who will still benefit in terms of increased visibility and popularity worldwide.”

“Serie A will continue to work to combine local roots with international openness, fully aware of its role in promoting Italian football.”

While the FIGC has approved the move, final confirmation is pending. The relocation requires the approval of several other governing bodies, including Football Australia, FIFA, UEFA, and the AFC.

Current FIFA regulations do not permit domestic league matches to be played abroad. However, FIFA established a working group last year to examine this issue, suggesting a potential shift in policy.

Hosting occasional league matches overseas could create a meaningful revenue possibility for top European clubs. However, governing bodies must weigh the commercial benefits against the need to preserve customary values rooted in local support.

Barcelona has been a leading advocate for allowing league fixtures to be played overseas. In 2019, the club announced plans to stage a league match against Girona in Miami, Florida, but the move was blocked by the country’s RFEF soccer governing body and its players’ union.

Barcelona was later included in laliga’s plans to stage a match alongside Atletico Madrid, also in Miami, last year. However, these plans were also abandoned due to scheduling conflicts.

If the AC Milan-Como match proceeds, it would provide serie A with valuable exposure in the Asia-Pacific region, helping to boost its international profile and compete with the English Premier League, Spain’s LaLiga, and Germany’s Bundesliga for fans in this relatively untapped market.

serie A was broadcast live in australia last season by international sports broadcaster BeIN, marking a significant step in its APAC presence.

This would not be the first instance of Italian top-tier men’s soccer staging official matches overseas. Serie A has a lucrative agreement with Saudi arabia to host the Supercoppa Italiana, the annual match between the winners of Serie A and the Coppa Italia, in RIYADH for the past three seasons.

RIYADH hosted AC Milan’s defeat to Inter Milan in a one-off match in January 2023. The competition format changed to a four-game format for the 2024 edition, which saw AC Milan defeat Inter Milan in the final in January.