Summary: Serie A’s 1st overseas official match: process, disputes, significance and global anticipation
After twists and turns of negotiations, Serie A’s historic first overseas official match has been confirmed to take place in Perth, Australia. This landmark event, marking Serie A’s first attempt to expand beyond Europe, has drawn widespread global football community attention since its proposal. On the eve of Italy’s high-profile Italian Super Cup first semi-final, Serie A President Simone Calcioli announced the news in an exclusive interview with Italy’s Mediaset TV, confirming the February 8th Serie A clash between traditional powerhouse AC Milan and Como in Perth will proceed as scheduled with no changes to the schedule or venue.
Prior to the confirmation, Italian mainstream media had widely reported uncertainties around the match, sparking discussions among fans and insiders. The core controversy centered on additional conditions from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), most notably that the entire refereeing team must be AFC-appointed with no Italian referees allowed.
Calcioli initially dismissed the AFC’s terms as “unrealistic and unreasonable” in public, but later noted that in-depth talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina had eased concerns, laying the groundwork for the match’s final confirmation.
“The match will be held in Perth on February 8th as planned, with no further changes,” Calcioli told Mediaset reporters positively.
He detailed the negotiations: “We had friendly, in-depth talks with Gianni (Infantino), voicing doubts about the AFC’s conditions—especially the ban on Italian referees, which we initially found hard to accept given their high professionalism and rich Serie A experience critical to match fairness. However, Collina, a global refereeing authority, addressed our concerns by detailing Asian referees’ professional quality, affirming their ability to handle high-level matches and providing a list of top-tier Asian referees with international experience. We thus agreed to the AFC’s refereeing requirement. Remaining minor details will be finalized in the next few days, and all match officials will be from Asia.”
Notably, the AFC’s conditions also included a key clause: Serie A is barred from participating in the match’s organization, promotion, or marketing. For Serie A, which aims to boost brand influence and expand overseas markets through this match, the clause poses significant restrictions. It limits Serie A to a participant role, stripping it of event promotion and operation control. This was another major negotiation sticking point, though both sides reached an acceptable consensus after multiple consultations, facilitating the match’s confirmation.
When asked about the match, experienced AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri gave a prudent response: “I don’t yet have a full grasp of all details, but from Italian football’s long-term development perspective, I hope this is not a temporary, isolated event. Instead, it should signal a new direction for Serie A’s globalization. A one-off match without follow-up planning would greatly diminish its significance and hinder efforts to enhance Serie A’s international influence.” His views reflect many Italian football insiders’ expectations for the fixture.
As Serie A’s first overseas venture in its 90-year history, the Perth showdown between AC Milan and Como has long been a global fan focus. For Serie A, which seeks to boost international competitiveness, the match is a key step in its global expansion and Asian market exploration. Hosting overseas official matches helps Serie A connect with Asian fans, attract international attention and investment, and inject vitality into the league. It also builds a communication bridge between European football (represented by Serie A) and the Asian football system, promoting cross-continental football culture exchange.
With controversial conditions resolved via multi-party negotiations, the historic match’s countdown is underway. Global fans anticipate witnessing the February 8th event and monitoring whether Serie A’s overseas attempt succeeds, setting a precedent for future league internationalization.
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