Annual horse race renamed to celebrate Italian football blockbuster

• PKF Roma Cup to be renamed the 'PKF AS Roma – AC Milan Cup'
• Annual race to be held this weekend at Ascot Racecourse
• New name celebrates upcoming AS Roma vs AC Milan match at Optus Stadium
• Race forms part of the festivities and community events to be held in lead up to the blockbuster football event on 31 May

The PKF Roma Cup, to be held this Saturday, 6 April at Ascot Racecourse, will be renamed the 'PKF AS Roma – AC Milan Cup' in honour of the upcoming Italian football blockbuster at Optus Stadium.

The Roma Cup was originally created in 1966 and has run every year since, at Ascot Racecourse or Belmont Park, to commemorate the first time AS Roma visited Western Australia, where they played at Perry Lakes Stadium.

The race will run this weekend under its new name, with the correlating football match to be held between the two giants of Italian football at Optus Stadium on Friday, 31 May.

The exclusive AS Roma vs AC Milan match at Optus Stadium at the end of May is supported by the Cook Labor Government and will be the first time two Serie A teams will play each other in Australia.

Importantly, the match coincides with WA Day celebrations (3 June) and the Italian National 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.

Tens of thousands of tickets have already been sold to the match, including thousands from outside WA.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.ticketmaster.com.au.

Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:

"The Roma Cup has been held for nearly 60 years, to commemorate AS Roma's last visit to Perth in 1966.

"Now that they're coming back to Perth alongside fellow heavyweights AC Milan to play against each other for the first time on Australian soil, it of course makes sense for us to rename the race in its honour.

"I'd like to acknowledge and thank Mr Michael Gangemi, who was behind the creation of the original Roma Cup back in 1966, as well as his family, for their support in getting the race renamed to celebrate the upcoming visit. 

"The Roma Cup has always been a significant one for the local Italian community, but this year's one will be extra special with the winner to take it out for the first time under its new name."