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When Perth’s push to host a landmark Serie A match first surfaced in June, it was clear the state government still had some hoops to jump through.
Traditionalists trembled in Europe. How could one of the continent’s proudest clubs, AC Milan, venture 8000 miles away to play a real-deal match for points? For football’s religious fans, this was blasphemy.
AC Milan and Como versing each other in a Serie A match in January. Credit: Getty Images
Yet, Optus Stadium’s proposed hosting of the February 8 AC Milan-Como clash was ticked off by each of the Serie A clubs, as well as Europe’s governing body, UEFA.
The latter approval would not come until October – with UEFA’s statement pointedly including the word “reluctantly” – but it was seen as the key to unlocking Perth’s Serie A showdown.
World-governing body FIFA were expected to follow suit, while the Asian Football Confederation’s necessary approval to host the match in its jurisdiction was not seen as a major hurdle. After all, it was the region’s golden chance to host the first-ever European league match for points on foreign soil.
Then came the red-tape tidal wave.
Weeks were wiped off the calendar as the AFC dug in on demands that the match must be officiated by Asian referees, and it could not be branded as an official Serie A game. After clearing Europe’s conservatism, the Asian authority unexpectedly proved the antagonist.
Flouting these rules would result in financial penalties, posing an “unacceptable” risk to WA. Attempts were made to be granted exemptions, but they fell on deaf ears.
By December, revelations of the event’s collapse began to surface. WA’s bureaucrats were beaten by bureaucracy.
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“There wasn’t a will from particular bodies to make this work,” Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said.
Playing matches overseas is not so problematic in other sports. The NFL, for example, has staged games in the UK, Mexico, Germany, Brazil, Ireland and Spain, with Melbourne next year to host the Los Angeles Rams (Coincidentally, the WA government also fell short of a bid to host Australia’s first NFL contest).
But world football is complex with its numerous governing bodies.
9 News Perth put questions to global authority FIFA on multiple occasions throughout the approval process, but no on-record comment, or any meaningful off-record background, was ever offered.
The AFC, meanwhile, ignored questions. Before that, UEFA took four months to decide whether or not to approve the game.
The WA government went down swinging and won’t die wondering.
Saffioti has declared her administration has already dusted itself off and is ready to launch more bids to bring big sporting events to their territory.
AC Milan has enjoyed playing friendlies in Perth and the club are keen to return to Australia, though no specific events are in the pipeline yet.
As for the clash against Como, it appears likely to be held at a postponed date in Italy, given it is not possible to play at AC Milan’s San Siro Stadium on February 8, due to the Winter Olympics.
And the freeze on Serie A’s attempted expansion won’t be thawing anytime soon.
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