A highly anticipated Serie A match between AC Milan and Como, slated to be played in Perth, Australia, on February 8, 2026, has been cancelled due to financial concerns and complications arising from conditions imposed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The cancellation marks a setback for Serie A's ambition to promote itself globally and to stage a top-tier European league game outside of its home country for the first time.
The game was originally scheduled to take place in Perth due to the unavailability of AC Milan's stadium, which is hosting the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics two days prior. The match had garnered support from all 20 Serie A clubs, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), and UEFA.
However, "onerous conditions" from the AFC, the regional governing body for football, created "unmitigable financial risks" for both the Western Australian Government and Serie A, leading to a mutual agreement to call off the event. Serie A president Ezio Simonelli expressed his disappointment, stating that the league had navigated a complex authorization process over 12 months, even accepting questionable sporting conditions imposed by the AFC, before facing further unacceptable demands. He described the cancellation as a "lost opportunity" for the global growth of Italian football.
According to reports, the AFC's conditions included the requirement that it be responsible for appointing match officials, raising concerns about the feasibility of holding the match in Perth. While Simonelli initially assured that the league was prepared to meet these conditions, the situation escalated with further demands that proved insurmountable.
Despite the cancellation, the Western Australian government stated that the proposal had generated more than $280 million in global media exposure for the state since April. Western Australia's Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti described the resolution as "disappointing but correct," emphasizing the government's unwillingness to expose public funds to a high level of economic uncertainty. She added that the project had been 12 months in the making and that the government had done everything possible to make it happen, but "football politics, legal issues and bureaucracy have got in the way". Saffioti confirmed that no payments were made, and Western Australia did not lose out financially due to the cancellation.
This cancellation follows a similar situation where La Liga called off plans to play a match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami after facing criticism and opposition. These events highlight the challenges faced by European leagues seeking to expand their reach by playing competitive matches abroad.
