Official: UEFA allows one Serie A and one La Liga match to be played in Australia and the USA respectively

While they have stressed that they are against holding national championship matches abroad, UEFA has given permission for AC Milan and Como to face each other in a Serie A match in Perth, Australia.

The matter was suspended at the Executive Committee meeting in Tirana last month, so that UEFA could hold further consultations on the subject.

It was not only the Milan – Como match that required permission to be played outside Italy, but also the one between Barcelona and Villarreal in La Liga, scheduled to take place in Miami, USA.

UEFA has now made a decision, officially reiterating its “clear opposition to the holding of domestic championship matches outside their home country,” but recognizing this case as a “special exception.”

Milan and Como, in collaboration with Lega Serie A, have requested that the match be held in Australia in February 2026. The reason is that the San Siro stadium (Stadio Meazza) will be occupied with the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

As for the La Liga match, Barcelona and Villarreal have also received permission to play their match in Miami on December 20, 2025.

The president of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, said:

“Championship matches must be played on home soil; anything else would disappoint loyal fans who attend the matches and could introduce distortions into the competitions. Our consultations confirmed the breadth of these concerns. I would like to thank all 55 national associations for their constructive and responsible engagement on such a sensitive issue. While it is regrettable that we have to allow these two matches to take place, this decision is an exception and should not be seen as a precedent. Our commitment is clear: to protect the integrity of national leagues and ensure that football remains connected to its home environment.”