The first European top-division soccer match ever to be staged abroad could be heading for Australia.
Italy's football federation (FIGC) revealed plans on Thursday to stage a Serie A match between one of the country's giants AC Milan and neighbouring Como in Perth.
The teams are located about 50km apart, yet if the historic plans go ahead, will be playing their 'derby' at a venue more than 13,500km away across the other side of the world.
First, though, the fixture would need the approval from FIFA, UEFA, Football Australia and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The FIGC is backing the idea, saying it has given a "positive opinion" and adding: "This brings closer what would be a historic 'trip' abroad for a Serie A match."
It did, however, also acknowledge the plan would involve a "complex authorisation procedure" to gain approval from all sides.
FIFA rules don't allow domestic league matches to be played abroad but the governing body did set up a working group last year to look into this.
There have been talk of big domestic clashes in Spain being played abroad. Last year, La Liga wanted to hold Barcelona v Atletico Madrid in the United States in Miami, but the idea was dropped because of time constraints.
In 2019, Barcelona had also talked of a match against Girona in the Florida city but the Spanish Federation and the Spanish players' union blocked it.
The FIGC believes UEFA could approve the plan because of "the absolute exceptionality of the request", with the match scheduled for the weekend of February 7-8 while Milan's San Siro is hosting the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
