Alex MacQuoid
Como says Perth AC Milan trip is a “sacrifice” to help Serie A survive
Como have defended plans to play AC Milan in Perth next February, saying the move is a necessary “sacrifice” to protect the future of Serie A as English clubs pull further ahead financially.
Uefa has reluctantly approved the fixture being held outside Italy, citing that no legal framework exists to prevent the match. The decision follows permission for Villarreal and Barcelona to meet in Miami this December.
Financial gap driving the choice
Como pointed to the widening broadcast gap between leagues. They noted Serie A’s domestic TV deal is worth around £780m a year while the Premier League will receive about £12bn for broadcast rights covering 2025 to 2029 — a sum that will let English football “dominate the global stage”, the club said.
The club argued the imbalance gives English teams “enormous financial advantage” and insisted the choice to stage a match abroad was “not a matter of greed” but of survival.
“We understand that this journey may demand sacrifices in convenience, comfort, and routine,” the club said.
“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.”
Como added that many Italian clubs are not profitable and that the move aims to help regenerate interest in Italy’s top flight. The club plans to invite 50 fans to travel with the team to Australia.
“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.”
They said their long-term ambition is to return Serie A to the prominence it enjoyed in the 1990s.
“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.”
And a final message from the club:
“To achieve that, we must evolve, unite, and make Serie A the talk around the globe again.”
Opposition and governing body reaction
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin described allowing two league fixtures to be played abroad as “regrettable”, and said it “will not set a precedent”.
The Football Supporters Europe federation criticised the plan when it was discussed at a Uefa meeting, arguing that European football should remain in local stadiums and communities.
“European football belongs in our stadiums, cities and communities,” the federation said, adding “one domestic match abroad is one too many.”
Como say the trip to Perth is a strategic attempt to boost the league’s global profile, and to give Serie A a better chance of competing with the financial might of the Premier League.