The first match in Serie A that will play outside the country “justifies the move to the match to Australia:” It is for the survival of the league “
Article by Cosmin Nistor – published Monday, October 13, 2025 23:06 / Updated Monday, October 13, 2025 23:06
A historical moment, but also extremely controversial, is preparing in Italian football: the match between Como and AC Milan, scheduled in February 2026, will be the first series game has played outside Italy, more precisely at Perth, Australia.
The decision received the approval of the UEFA, which stated that the measure was taken “on an exceptional basis” and “should not become a precedent”. Despite official explanations, negative reactions have not been delayed, both from fans and players.
Official Como statement: “We do this for the future series A”
“Dear Como family members, friends and supporters of Serie A, Como 1907 will travel to Perth, Australia, in February, to play against AC Milan, in a common mission to restore a series A in the center of world football attention and to ensure a stronger future for each club representing this league.
We understand that this trip can involve sacrifices related to comfort, routine and convenience. But sometimes, sacrifice is essential – not for individual benefits, but for the collective good, for progress and, above all, for the survival of the league itself.
We all saw what happens when a league fails to evolve. In France, the collapse of the internal broadcast contract led the clubs in crisis, unpaid players and disappointed supporters. French football is still struggling to recover after that failure.
Meanwhile, Premier League continues to dominate the global scene. The latest broadcast agreements have a value of over 12 billion pounds for cycle 2025–2029, including 6.7 billion pounds of domestic broadcasting in the UK and about 6.5 billion pounds from international contracts. For the first time, income from international rights exceeds the internal ones.
By comparison, the internal broadcast contract of Serie A is evaluated at approximately 900 million euros per year, and international rights generate less than 10% of what the Premier League earns. This imbalance offers English clubs a huge financial advantage, allowing them to keep their stars, attract the best players and expand their global influence.
We have to ask ourselves honestly: how can we keep the best players, build competitive teams and attract the world elite in series A if we do not adapt? It's not about greed. Most clubs in Italy are not profitable. It's about survivalAnd about the construction of a future in which the series A remains competitive, respected and admired globally.
Our goal is clear. We want to return the series A to Gloria it had in the 1990s, when Italian football was the most watched, the most respected and the most beloved in the world. In order to achieve this goal, we must evolve, be united and make the series A be the main topic of discussion in the football world.
As I have proudly represented Italian football at The Soccer Tournament (TST) in the United States, now we take the same mission to Perth. It's not just a match. It is a statement of intent, a move to reconnect the world with the beauty, culture and passion of Italian football, and we want you to be part of this approach.
We invite 50 fans to join us on this trip in Australia, to be with us as Ambassadors of Como 1907 and of series A. Together we will show the world what Italian football really means: Tradition, soul and hope for the future. Together we resist. Together we get up. Together we survive ”, was the official statement of the Como.
Hard reactions from the players: “Completely crazy!”
The decision was met with the anger of players, including from the opponents camp.
AC Milan's midfielder, Adrien Rabiot (30 years old), cataloged the move as “completely crazy”:
“Let's play a series of series A in Australia is something absurd. Everything is about money and visibility, but you talk about the health of the players and the loaded program, and now they send us to the end of the world for a championship match. That's incredible.”
Goalkeeper Mike Maignan (30 years old) supported his position:
“I agree with Rabiot. It is an Italian championship match, I do not see why we have to play it outside the country. Besides, we lose the advantage of a home match. It looks completely the essence of the competition.”
UEFA and FIFA, between regrets and “exceptions”
UEFA has approved the event with “reserves”, mentioning that it is a singular situation caused by “worldwide legislative gaps”.
The European forum has also announced that Liga will organize a similar match, Barcelona – Villarreal, on December 20, 2025, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, USA.
However, European officials have stressed that these cases should not become a model for the future.
