Perth set to host Serie A giants in world-first fixture
Perth is set to become the first foreign city to host a major European domestic league fixture when Serie A powerhouse AC Milan plays Como next year.
It will mark the first time an official Italian league regular-season match will be held on foreign territory, courtesy of a newly amended policy by FIFA.
AC Milan has been on the hunt for somewhere to play next February when its stadium will be booked for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
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Both the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies will be held at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, which is the long-standing home of the Italian powerhouse.
It is not uncommon to see teams play pre-season, post-season or exhibition matches abroad, with Tottenham and AC Milan doing so on Australian soil in recent years.
But domestic leagues were traditionally not allowed to play regular-season matches outside of their own territory until a change in May last year.
Joao Felix (right) of AC Milan celebrates with Strahinja Pavlovic after scoring a goal. LightRocket via Getty Images
The Italian giants will now make history when they take on Como for points in the Serie A at Perth's Optus Stadium on February 8, 2026.
The battle will be held in the middle of the 2025-26 season, after the two teams finished just two places apart on the table this year.
As for the cost for Australian fans to view the Serie A clash, it remains unknown.
AC Milan last touched down in Perth to face AS Roma for a pre-season friendly at Optus Stadium in May last year.
That match's success and the relationship formed between the club and the state government also saw Perth secure an unofficial match between Milan and Perth Glory.
That match is scheduled to take place on July 31.
