FLASH
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A little less than a week after the announcement comes the twist and turn of the intercontinental journey for the challenge between Milan and Como.
Milan-Como will not be played in Australia. Less than a week after the announcement of the agreement to play the February 8 match in Perth, there has been a dramatic twist from the Serie A League. Just four days ago, in Riyadh where Napoli-Milan was played, president Simonelli announced that he had accepted the AFC's conditions regarding the Asian referee, but now something has changed, and in a dramatic twist, the match will not be played on Australian soil due to "unacceptable demands from the Asian confederation". However, the question of where (and when) it will be played remains, as the San Siro will be occupied on that date for the opening of the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games.
Below is the press release confirming the "impossibility of completing the project for the Milan-Como match" in Perth.
Plans to stage the first official European Championship match outside the borders of the qualifying state, in Australia, in Perth, have been scrapped, following a mutual agreement between Lega Calcio Serie A and the Western Australian Government. Both parties made the decision due to the unlimited financial risks, difficult approval conditions and last-minute complications beyond their control. The proposed match would have been the first time a high-level, points-scoring match of a European Championship would have been played abroad, representing a unique opportunity for Western Australia to make international football history.
The proposal was approved by all 20 Lega Calcio Serie A clubs, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). However, the additional onerous conditions imposed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to authorise the match could not be met without financial risk to the Western Australian Government and Lega Calcio Serie A. The Government and Lega Calcio Serie A have considered every viable option to bring the historic match to Western Australia.
Analysis of Perth’s offering reveals that, since April, it has already generated over $280 million in global media exposure, with the Australian city widely covered by major international media outlets in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Indonesia and France. The Cook Government remains committed to securing major international events that deliver economic returns for the state, helping to diversify the economy and promoting the tourism and hospitality sectors in Western Australia.
A statement from Minister for Sport and Recreation Rita Saffioti said: " Our government has worked closely with AC Milan and Lega Calcio Serie A, and we were confident that this world-first event would take place in Perth. It is disappointing, but it is the right decision: we were not prepared to expose Western Australia to an unacceptable level of risk. This project has been in the works for 12 months and we have done everything we could to make it happen, but football politics, legal issues and bureaucracy have been obstacles."
There was no manual to follow, as it had never been done before anywhere in the world. We undertook this project for the huge economic benefits it would bring to our state and the contribution it would make to the growth of world football in Australia. It is important to note that no payments were made and Western Australia suffered no loss in the process, as no deal was finalised.
We know that over the past six months, Perth has been in the spotlight from the global mainstream media and European football circles like never before, which is a great sign of the visibility for our state and our reputation for hosting world-class events. Our relationship with Lega Calcio Serie A and AC Milan is stronger than ever, and I want to acknowledge their professionalism and trust in Perth and Western Australia throughout this process .”
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