GdS: UEFA to decide on Milan-Como game in Australia – why the vote is hard to predict

The UEFA Executive Committee will decide on Thursday whether to give the green light to playing Milan-Como in Perth.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport recall, Milan and Como have decided to play their league match in early February in Australia. It is a decision born out of the unavailability of San Siro, occupied by the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

A series of approvals are required (from the Australian FA, the Asian Confederation, FIFA, and UEFA) and UEFA’s has always been the most delicate, because of the precedent that it would set if they say yes.

How will the call be made?

The UEFA Executive Committee will meet tomorrow in Tirana, Albania. On the agenda are the awarding of the 2027 Champions League final and decisions on women’s football and futsal. Some time will be devoted to the Milan-Como issue: a decision or a postponement is possible.

The Executive Committee is a broad body, composed of UEFA President Ceferin and 19 other members. Gabriele Gravina, President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), will speak in favour of the idea because of the visibility and revenues it will bring to Serie A.

This support is closely tied to the exceptional nature of the Olympic event, to which the request has always been linked. The hope in short is that UEFA will agree to play a match from one of its tournaments outside of Europe due to the strange circumstances, not because it will start a trend.

Within UEFA, however, there are two factions: one in favour and one against, which, unfortunately for Milan and Como, is gaining strength. Ceferin expressed his concerns a week ago in an interview with Politico too.

“We’re not happy, but we don’t have much leeway if the federations agree. And in this case, both have given their consent,” he said.

“We’ll have to discuss this very seriously in the future; fans must be able to follow matches at home If it’s an exception or there’s a specific reason, that’s fine. But, in principle, European teams should stay in Europe.”

European Commissioner Glenn Micallef had his say: “Just one league match outside Europe is already one too many. European football belongs to Europe. In recent weeks, what should be a given has been called into question by the decision of La Liga and Serie A to play league matches outside Europe.”

The Lega Calcio Serie A responded with a statement: “Certain words for a single match out of 380 surprise us and risk fuelling a populist debate.

“UEFA has expressed concern over the plan to play Villarreal vs. Barcelona in Miami on the weekend of December 20-21. And it fears the possibility of playing an entire league match abroad, perhaps in the United States, will gain traction.”

The vote, therefore, is not so easy to predict. There is a risk that UEFA will reject the request, and this could raise tensions. Milan and Como hope that it won’t be necessary, that the Executive will give the green light, perhaps emphasizing the exceptional nature of the decision.

After all, the Olympic Games occupy a stadium once every twenty years. A complete opening to the possibility of playing a league match abroad is impossible. We’ll know in 24 hours, possibly.