This is where AC Milan-Como will not be played in Australia The Perth Stadium will not host a Serie A match

AC Milan-Como will not be played in Australia. This was confirmed by Lega Serie A in a joint statement with the Government of Western Australia. The statement reads: "Both parties made this decision due to financial risks that could not be contained, burdensome approval conditions, and last-minute complications beyond their control. The proposed match would have been the first time a high-level European Championship game, awarding points, would have been played outside national borders, representing a unique opportunity for Western Australia to make history in international football. The proposal had been approved by all 20 Serie A League Clubs, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). However, the additional burdensome conditions imposed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to authorize the match could not be met without financial risks for the Government of Western Australia and the Serie A League".

Why San Siro was not available?

The UEFA had exceptionally approved the Serie A League’s plan to play AC Milan-Como in Australia. The match was scheduled in Perth on February 7 or 8, 2026, as San Siro was unavailable due to the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, the final gala event for the "Football Cathedral" before its demolition. "We are opposed to holding national league matches abroad. Two requests were exceptionally approved due to certain global regulations. We are committed to ensuring the integrity of national competitions and to taking fans’ viewpoints into account in future FIFA rules", the official UEFA statement read, also confirming that a La Liga match, Villarreal-Barcelona, could have been held abroad, but in that case the decision to play in Miami did not materialize, due to a protest by Liga players (including Villarreal and Barcelona players).

Perth Stadium and the missed historic event

Milan-Como was supposed to take place at Perth Stadium, inaugurated in 2018 and awarded the Prix Versailles in 2019, the global award for architecture and design, as the best stadium in the world. The project was designed by the architecture firms Hassell, COX, and HKS following the fans first principle, ensuring an excellent view for all spectators. The stadium was built primarily for Australian football and cricket. For this reason, the playing field was installed in an oval shape. In these conditions, at least 61,000 seats are guaranteed, a number that increases depending on the events hosted. For concerts, the capacity rises to 70,000, while for events using a rectangular field, as would have been the case for Milan-Como, 65,000 seats are guaranteed. These figures make it the third-largest stadium in Australia.

The stadium is located on a unique site, occupying 30 hectares along the banks of the Swan River. Nevertheless, the five-level structure with a bronze facade blends perfectly with the skyline of the capital of Western Australia and at night changes its appearance thanks to the world's largest integrated sports LED lighting system, 7 kilometers of lights transforming the exterior as soon as the sun sets. Technological investments are also visible inside, always following the fans first concept: the stadium features two mega-screens of 340 square meters and a state-of-the-art Wi-Fi system with 1,400 access points throughout, providing online and streaming services to all fans. In case of rain, the lightweight plastic roof covering 85% of seats ensures protection.

How much would Serie A have earned?

According to La Stampa in early October, Lega Serie A would have earned 12 million euros to move Milan-Como to Australia, a sum that would have been distributed among the 20 Serie A clubs. The newspaper also noted that the negotiation was facilitated by the fact that the Government of Western Australia, the authority that negotiated with Milan, has been in business with the Elliott Fund since 2020, the hedge fund that in 2022 sold Milan to RedBird, the fund chaired by Gerry Cardinale, now owner of the Rossoneri.