In a surprising turn of events, the historic Serie A fixture between AC Milan and Como set to take place in Perth, Australia, in February 2026 has been canceled. The decision comes after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Australian FA presented what Serie A deemed as unacceptable terms and conditions.
The innovative proposal by Lega Serie A aimed to bring competitive domestic football to an international stage, leveraging AC Milan's global fanbase and the increasing interest in Italian football in the Asia-Pacific region. The chosen venue was the new Optus Stadium in Perth, with the match scheduled during the Winter Olympics period, as San Siro would be unavailable due to Milan co-hosting the event.
AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni had initially expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, "One of the ideas we pursued was to go to Australia to promote Italian football, not to make a financial deal that doesn't exist. I haven't given up on this issue yet, but there are so many authorisations to obtain that I'm starting to get worried."
Despite facing criticism from players like Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and midfielder Adrien Rabiot, Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo defended the move, emphasizing the long-term vision and courage required to expand Serie A's global footprint.
However, the league's initial acceptance of certain conditions, such as allowing Australian referees and restricting the promotion of the game as a domestic Italian fixture, was met with further unacceptable demands from the AFC. Serie A President Ezio Simonelli announced the cancellation, citing the escalation of requests as the primary reason.
"The idea to host the game in Australia has now been called off," Simonelli stated. "We had already accepted some requests that from a sporting point of view were unacceptable and indigestible. In the face of an escalation of further and unacceptable requests made by the AFC towards the Australian Federation and consequently the Government of Western Australia and Serie A, it has become impossible to play the match."
This setback notwithstanding, Serie A remains committed to growing Italian football internationally and providing fans abroad with the opportunity to watch their favorite teams live.
Meanwhile, AC Milan, currently trailing league leaders Inter by just one point, will resume their Serie A campaign with a home match against Verona.
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