UEFA reluctantly accepts Milan vs. Como in Perth and Barcelona vs. Villarreal in Miami as “exceptional” cases

UEFA has approved Milan-Como to play in Perth and Barcelona-Villarreal to play in Miami, emphasizing that these are one-time exceptions.

In a rare break from the governing body’s customary position on domestic matches, UEFA has grudgingly approved the play of a Serie A and a La Liga match outside of Europe.

The European Football Organization said Monday that AC Milan’s Serie A matchup with Como will take place in Perth, Australia, in early February, while Barcelona’s La Liga matchup with Villarreal will take place in Miami in late December.

Since the San Siro will not be accessible when the Winter Olympics opening ceremony is being planned in February, Milan decided to use a different location.

Similar to how the NFL and NBA handle bringing games to overseas countries, Spain’s La Liga has long sought its goal of going global.

However, UEFA emphasized that the approval was granted “as an exception,” reiterating its disapproval to the practice and pointing to FIFA’s framework’s lack of legal clarity.

“Anything else would disenfranchise devoted match-goers and possibly introduce distorting elements in competitions,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stated in a statement. “League matches should be played on home soil.”

“This decision is extraordinary and will not be viewed as establishing a precedent, even though it is unfortunate to have to allow these two games to proceed. We are steadfast in our resolve to preserve national leagues’ integrity and keep football rooted in its native setting.

Italy’s Serie A team was pleased with the decision.

Serie A League President Ezio Simonelli stated, “For us, a contingency due to the unavailability of San Siro Stadium has turned into an opportunity to satisfy the many Italian football fans who will have the chance to watch the match live in Perth.”

“It’s also an opportunity for both teams and Italian football to expand their fan base and gain more international recognition.”

Given that Milan supporters must travel about 13,800 kilometers to see their club play in Perth, which is six hours ahead of Italy’s time zone, Simonelli acknowledged the inconvenience for local followers.