UEFA clears path for AC Milan to face Como in Australia this February
The two fixtures will be the first European league matches played in another country – a concept which, although commonplace in Australian and American sport, is strongly opposed by many clubs, the affinity of football fans around the world and indeed UEFA themselves. The European governing body sought to pass the buck and blamed FIFA’s lax regulatory framework for having no choice but to ensure matches went ahead, describing it as a “regrettable” decision and reiterating their “clear opposition” to the plans.
Taylor Battistella is the president of Milan Club Australia.Credit: Taylor Battistella
This is exactly how he will be treated, although UEFA President Aleksander čeferin emphasizes that he should not be seen as a “precedent”. A Pandora’s box has been opened, a workable legal framework has been constructed. No matter what UEFA says, there will be more of these. For any enterprising club, league, third-party promoter or government tourism body, almost everything is now in play anywhere in the world; Premier League matches in Sydney or Melbourne, for example, feel like an inevitability. Perth jumped the queue largely due to Rita Saffiotti, the Western Australian Treasurer and Tourism Minister Lobby and the Italian Football Tragic Lobby.
AC Milan describe it as a one-time measure, as the San Siro Stadium is briefly off-limits in February for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, but few, including Battistella, are buying it.
Personally speaking, he would prefer not to see Milan go down such paths, but feels they are effectively being forced out by the global dominance of the Premier League and the increasing financial power of their clubs.
“My view on this matter is that it is already a Super League and an English Premier League,” he said. “In a way we are getting a super league that is not really centrally planned.”
If Italian clubs want to be competitive in this context, they have to find new audiences and revenue streams – even if that means exporting pieces of their tradition to the other side of the world.
Indeed, within Milan’s Australian fan base, Battistella thinks there is a bit of a split: Italian-Australians who find the initiative more morally questionable, and Australian-Italians who see it as a greater opportunity to watch them play.
Milan Club Sydney fans before the pre-season friendly between AC Milan and Perth Glory in July.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s a real shame that all these big European clubs like Barcelona and Milan are looking for this and have to do it,” Battistella said.
“But from our selfish point of view, we would love it if AC Milan’s second home could be Australia.
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“I think for now we can say that UEFA is an outstanding situation and then judge every future opportunity at face value.
“But we know it is necessary. We know that these Italian clubs have to cover the revenue gap. They are already playing [the Italian Super Cup] In Saudi Arabia – So I don’t see why Australia should be the one to benefit from the fallout. ”
Football Supporters Association Australia President Patrick Clancy said his group was “strongly opposed” to bringing home-grown fixtures from other countries to Australia and that local produce could also have a detrimental impact on the health of A-Ledenters.
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