Neighbors in Serie A play 13,800 km away! » Which and where will be the first match organized abroad
Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Friday, December 19, 2025, 12:21 / Updated Friday, December 19, 2025 12:21
AC Milan vs Como 24th Serie A match will be played in Perth Australia on February 8, 2026. Italian League President Ezio Simonelli has made the official announcement for the Lombard derby to be refereed by an Asian. “He has to be a trailblazer, not just an exception!” commented Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri.
What could not be achieved in La Liga, due to the opposition of the teams, i.e. moving the Villarreal-Barcelona match from Christmas Eve (December 20) to Miami, could happen in Italy. Serie A will schedule, for the first time, a game outside the borders of the Peninsula!
Lega Serie A president Ezio Simonelli has made it official that AC Milan – Como on February 8, 2026 will take place at the end of the world.
13,800 km and between 20 and 22 hours of flight to Antipozi!
Perth in Australia will host the Lombard derby in the 24th leg. Instead of the fans of Cesc Fabregas' team traveling only about 50 kilometers, it should fly a distance of 13,800 km and between 20 and 22 hours just to Antipozis!
“Simonelli met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the only person who could somehow intervene alongside the leaders of the Asian confederation. The result?
The AFC did not budge on its terms, particularly the demand that the match be refereed by an Asian referee. And at that moment, Serie A agreed to play the first match in the history of the Italian championship abroad.” writes La Gazzetta dello Sport today
“The meeting with Infantino was very cordial. I had a number of doubts about the conditions imposed to play the game in Perth. Above all, we were forced to have foreign referees.
Max Allegri: “I hope he will be a trailblazer for the future of Italian football. Let the Milan-Como match be no exception!”
We spoke to Collina (no – the chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee), who gave us ample assurances about the quality of these referees.
Massimiliano Allegri in Inter – Milan // photo: Guliver/gettyimages
Considers one or more high-level match officials. We will accept this condition, but there are still other things to solve”, explained the Lega Serie A president.
Milan and Como must quickly organize the logistics of the trip, which had already been arranged, but without booking flights and hotels. At this moment, even if no official green light has been given by FIFA and AFC (after that the official announcement will be issued), only a extraordinary turn of events could once again call into question the trip to Australia.
I hope it will be a trailblazer for the future of Italian football and I wish the game with Como was not just an isolated case. Otherwise, it would be a problem!
– Massimiliano Allegrithe coach of AC Milan
