- Top Italian Serie A men’s football teams AC Milan and AS Roma to play at Optus Stadium
- Blockbuster football match set to attract thousands of out-of-state visitors, injecting millions into the Western Australian economy
- Supported by the Cook Government and the only match to be played by both clubs in the Asia Pacific region this year
Two of Italy’s most successful men’s football clubs, AC Milan and AS Roma, are set to go head-to-head in an Asia Pacific exclusive blockbuster match at Optus Stadium on Friday, 31 May.
The exclusive match is supported by the Cook Labor Government and will be the first time two Serie A teams will play each other in Australia, as well as being AC Milan’s first game on Australian soil in more than 30 years, and AS Roma’s first since 2015 when they took on Real Madrid in Melbourne.
The last time AC Milan and AS Roma were in WA was 1980 and 1966 respectively.
Importantly, the match coincides with WA Day celebrations (3 June) and the Italian ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Day (2 June), meaning fans will be treated to an extravaganza with activations and community events to be held across the long weekend.
They will also have the opportunity to attend open training sessions and participate in community clinics and fan engagement experiences.
With both teams having a strong Australian and Asian fan base, thousands of out-of-state visitors are expected to travel to Perth to watch the blockbuster match, injecting millions of dollars into Western Australia’s economy.
Serie A is the top level of the Italian football league, regarded as one of the best football leagues in the world.
AC Milan, one of the most successful and recognisable clubs in world football and Italian Serie A history, boasts 19 league titles, five Coppa Italia titles, seven Italian Supercoppa titles, seven UEFA Champions League titles and one FIFA Club World Cup.
AS Roma, founded in the Italian capital almost 100 years ago, has won three Serie A titles, nine Coppa Italia titles, two Italian Super Cups, the Fairs Cup and a UEFA Europa Conference League.
The match is the latest initiative growing WA’s connection with Italy, with the popular direct flight between Rome and Perth set to return for a third season in 2024, allowing more visitors from Italy and Continental Europe.
Last financial year, visitation to WA from Italy was 18 per cent ahead of pre-COVID levels, with spend also up 76 per cent pre-COVID.
Continental Europe is the State’s largest market in both visitor numbers and spend, delivering 128,000 visitors in 2023, who spent $433 million in the WA economy.
WA continues to prove itself as a world-class host of major football events following last October’s record-breaking Matildas matches for the Asian Cup Qualifiers, the London Derby with English Premier League teams Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United in July, and five FIFA Women’s World Cup matches across July and August 2023.
Pre-sale tickets will be available on Monday, 11 March and general public tickets on Friday, 15 March via Ticketmaster.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“Western Australia continues to go from strength to strength as a host of international sporting events, as we add yet another blockbuster to our events calendar.
“Hosting a match between AC Milan and AS Roma here in Perth is a fantastic opportunity for us to strengthen our ties with Italy, which is thriving with Australia’s only direct flight connection with Rome.
“International sporting events like this put eyes across the world on our city, help to grow our tourism industry, inject millions into the local economy and support local jobs a win-win for WA.”
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
“We’re very excited to be hosting yet another unmissable football match and bringing two giants of Italian football – AC Milan and AS Roma – to our world-class Optus Stadium.
“These two clubs are known for producing some incredible sporting spectacles. Hosting them here will boost our profile both interstate and across Italy and Continental Europe, as we showcase our vibrant city and the incredible experiences we have on offer for travellers.
“Milan and Roma each have a strong following in Australia, and we expect to see thousands of out-of-state fans travel to Perth from all over the country to watch the action unfold in person.”
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
“Hosting high-profile sporting matches like this only strengthens WA’s reputation as one of the sporting capitals of the southern hemisphere.
“We know how much the game has grown in popularity, particularly over the past 12 months, and it’s fantastic to yet again be hosting world-class international football right here in Perth.”
