President Milan Paolo Scaroni has confirmed that he is still advocating a plan that would see the Serie A league match against Coma played in Australia, despite waves of protest in Italy.
“One of the ideas we followed was to go to Australia to promote Italian football, not to make a financial deal that doesn’t exist. I haven’t given up on this issue yet, but there are so many approvals to get that I’m starting to worry,” Scaroni said in a recent interview.
According to him, the proposal is part of a wider internationalization strategy of the Italian league. He believes that moving the game to the southern hemisphere would represent a “missed opportunity for Serie A” if it is not implemented, because the goal of the league leaders is “to make Serie A attractive around the world”.
The Italian public reacted strongly, holding that moving the regular championship match outside the country would violate the tradition and equality of the competition. Despite the criticism, Scaroni stands by his position, aware that the decision depends on a series of regulatory approvals.
Serie A is not alone in its efforts to expand the market. Spain’s La Liga has previously proposed a match Barcelona – Villarreal in Miami, a move already approved by UEFA, further fueling the debate on the globalization of domestic leagues.
The final fate of Milan’s proposal now rests in the hands of Italian and international football bodies, who must weigh between the commercial potential and the preservation of the sporting integrity of the competition.
