According to ESPN reports, despite the cancellation of the game between Barcelona and Villarreal in the United States, the Western Australian government still insists on hosting the Serie A match between AC Milan and Como in Perth next year.

With the San Siro Stadium unavailable for the Winter Olympics, the Italian Football Association approved AC Milan's match against Como in Perth on February 6, calling the move a "historic" opportunity.

UEFA had earlier "reluctantly" approved this match and the La Liga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami. However, following widespread protests in Spain, La Liga announced it was canceling the planned match, citing the "uncertainty" caused by the protests. In contrast, Serie A has not announced the cancellation of matches in Australia, and the Western Australian government is confident that this will happen.

Saffiotti, the Deputy Governor and Sports Minister of Western Australia, said in an interview with ESPN: "The Western Australian government is committed to bringing Serie A to Australia for the first time. We feel confident in the support of Football Australia, the two teams and Serie A. We are waiting for the final approval of the AFC and FIFA." She also mentioned that AC Milan's recent visit to Perth for pre-season was a great success, and European football has a huge fan base in Western Australia.

Although UEFA has approved the game, it still needs the consent of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the local football association to formally approve and sign the contract. Saffiotti said she believes those approvals are coming.

AC Milan has visited Western Australia twice in recent years, playing a friendly match with Roma in 2024 and playing a match with local A-League team Perth Glory earlier this year. The visits are part of the WA Government's significant investment in sport and major events. Perth will also be one of three host cities for next year's Women's Asia Cup and will host the AFL's return event, while working with TKO to bring a number of UFC and WWE events to the city.

However, the planned Serie A match sparked controversy, with AC Milan midfielder Rabiot calling it "completely crazy." The Football Supporters Association of Australia has also joined the opposition, arguing domestic league competitions should be closely linked to their home turf and fearing the impact it could have on local A-League men's and women's competitions.