Austin, Texas – U.S. men’s national team player Christian Pulisic called a proposed Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia “harsh” for the players, becoming the latest soccer figure to express his reluctance to the growing trend of holding league fixtures in international cities.
UEFA “reluctantly” approved Serie A’s application to host the Milan-Como game in the western Australian city on Monday. This decision mirrors similar plans by LaLiga to stage Villarreal-Barcelona at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium. The matches still await FIFA’s approval, but that is expected to be a formality at this point, as LaLiga officially announced their South Florida game on Wednesday. Serie A plans to hold the Milan-Como match in February, maintaining the regular schedule while changing the venue due to Milan’s San Siro hosting the Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony.
The Villarreal-Barcelona game will mark the first league match played outside of its domestic territory, a move that leagues like La Liga and Serie A hope will help grow the sport and their brand internationally. However, the approach has drawn criticism from many, who argue that relocating domestic games undermines the integrity of competition.
“Am I super thrilled that we have to go to Australia to play one game?” Pulisic said ahead of the USMNT’s matchup against Ecuador. “It’s a little bit harsh because I heard about that as well, but as far as for the fan experience to grow the game worldwide, I get it, I guess. Yet for tradition’s sake, I understand why there would be pushback. For me, it’s a strange one.”
Pulisic acknowledged the similarities between Serie A and La Liga’s plans and the NFL and NBA, which have been hosting international games for several years. He pointed out the unique challenges facing soccer players: “I guess it’s not that different. I don’t know, but we play many more games. The travel is definitely tougher.”
Christian’s teammate Chris Richards shared a similar perspective: “I think Miami has a deep Latin influence, so for that reason, I understand. I think it could be a good idea, but significant travel for one game is also very taxing, especially in the middle of the season. They’re making soccer much tougher with all the traveling, but it’s good for the sport here in the States. Still, as someone currently playing in Europe, I believe it’s tough to travel nine hours for a game and then return.”
While Villarreal and Barcelona prepare for their transatlantic trip, Milan and Como face a 20-hour journey to Perth for the fixture on February 8. They are due to meet Pisa just a week later, who will enjoy a considerably shorter away trip to Hellas Verona while Milan is across the globe.
Pulisic’s Milan colleague Adrien Rabiot was particularly vocal, criticizing the match in Perth as “completely crazy.” He stated, “It’s all about financial deals and showcasing the league, which takes priority over us [the players]. There is a lot of conversation about scheduling and player welfare, but this feels quite absurd. It’s insane to travel so far for a game between two Italian teams in Australia. We’ll have to adapt, as we always do.”
