Plans for a historic Serie A fixture between AC Milan and Como to be played in Perth, Australia, have been abandoned due to unmitigable financial risks for the organisers.
The ambitious proposal, which had secured approval from all 20 top-flight clubs, the Italian football federation (FIGC), UEFA, and the Western Australian Government, was set for February 8.
Despite claims it had already generated $280 million (around £138.4 million) in global media exposure for the state, the initiative was cancelled by mutual agreement.
A joint statement from the FIGC and WA Government confirmed the broad support but stated: “The onerous conditions from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to sanction the fixture could not be implemented without financial risks to the Western Australian Government and Serie A that could not be mitigated.”
This cancellation marks another setback for European leagues seeking to play competitive matches abroad, following the shelving of a proposed La Liga clash between Villarreal and Barcelona in Miami last December.
Serie A president Ezio Simonelli voiced his disappointment, revealing that league bosses had navigated a “complex authorisation process” over 12 months and even accepted “the highly questionable sporting conditions imposed by the Asian Football Confederation” before ultimately pulling the plug due to “further unacceptable demands.”
Simonelli concluded: “While expressing disappointment at the outcome of this project, we remain firmly convinced that this conclusion is a missed opportunity in the growth of Italian football at an international level, which also deprives the many Serie A fans abroad of the dream of attending a match of their favourite team in person.”
The match between Milan and Como would have been the first ever European match to take place abroad, but it will now go ahead in Italy instead.
Milan have started the season strongly and are only one point behind league leaders, Inter.
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