For the first time in its history, Palermo FC goes to Australia. A special milestone in the Club’s upcoming pre-season preparations, set to represent a landmark moment in over 125 years of rosanero history. The occasion is the Club’s participation in “Calcio Italiano”, an international event taking place in Perth in August 2026, featuring Palermo alongside some of the top clubs in Italian football landscape, including Inter, Juventus and Milan.
During its time in Australia, Palermo will take part in a prestigious friendly match against Juventus, scheduled for Tuesday 11 August at Optus Stadium in Perth (kick-off time and ticketing details will be announced at a later stage). During the same period, friendly matches between Milan and Inter are also scheduled, creating a true festival of Italian football that is expected to attract thousands of fans to Western Australia from across the region. The match against Juventus represents just the first key moment of the Australian campaign, with more initiatives to be announced soon.
The “Palermo goes to Australia” project is a natural continuation of the Club’s international positioning strategy developed in recent years. A journey that has seen the rosanero colours showcased on global stages, including the launch of the Club’s 2024-2025 kits across New York and Manchester, as well as prestigious friendlies against Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Manchester City.
Participating in “Calcio Italiano” also represents an opportunity to reconnect with local Sicilian communities and the global rosanero family spread across the world—united by a passion that knows no boundaries and a sense of belonging that transcends geographical distance.
Western Australia, which will host the tournament, continues to strengthen its position as a leading destination for major international football events and world-class sporting competitions, as demonstrated by recent fixtures such as the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers and the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026.
“This historic opportunity,” said Palermo FC CEO Giovanni Gardini, “marks a further step forward in Palermo’s internationalisation strategy and highlights the growing appeal of our Club, as evidenced by being part of an international context alongside clubs such as Inter, Juventus and Milan. It will also be a valuable opportunity to strengthen our connection with our community abroad: Palermo is a club with deep roots and a fanbase spread across the world. Being part of a global network like City Football Group enables us to deliver initiatives of this scale and accelerate our growth, while always preserving our identity”.