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Italian football powerhouses AC Milan and Como look set to play a Serie A match, for points, at Optus Stadium in February next year.
The unusual luck for Perth soccer fans is thanks to the Winter Olympics opening ceremony tying up the stadium the duo would usually play at.
Ignace Van Der Brempt of Como competes for the ball with Rafael Leao of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Como and AC Milan at Stadio G. Sinigaglia on January 14, 2025 in Como, Italy. Credit: Getty Images
The Italian league’s decision to host the game in Western Australia comes after AC Milan played two friendly matches here, one in 2024, and one just a few months ago against Perth Glory which drew more than 56,000 people to the stadium.
It’s hoped a match for real points would be a sell-out, but not everyone is happy.
The special game, and another to be hosted in the US, were ‘reluctantly’ approved by the European football governing body despite protests from local fans.
“While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.
The final approval for the match to be played on foreign soil now rests with FIFA.
