Como, one of last season’s unexpected Serie A success stories, secured Champions League qualification for the first time in their history. The club will now cancel the season tickets of supporters who miss four home fixtures as part of a controversial set of new regulations.
The team, managed by former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, announced on Monday that fans “who are absent from more than three home games without a reason the club considers acceptable could lose their season tickets”. A separate rule prevents supporters from displaying rival clubs’ shirts or scarves in any part of the stadium other than the designated away area.
“Ticket demand is considerably greater than availability, so I instructed the club to explore ways of making sure seats at the [Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium] go to committed Como fans – people who genuinely want to attend and support the team,” the chair, Mirwan Suwarso, explained in an extensive Instagram statement.
“There have been far too many instances of visiting supporters celebrating in home areas while loyal Como fans, who would have enthusiastically supported the side, could not obtain tickets.”
The club said its restriction on rival shirts, scarves and other symbols outside the away section was introduced to protect spectators. “We want the Sinigaglia to become the genuine home of our supporters and a stronghold for the team,” Suwarso said. “Our goal is to keep it welcoming for grandparents attending with their grandchildren, for families enjoying matches together and for passionate fans who remain respectful.”
The policies drew widespread criticism on social media, with many people describing them as excessively strict. Supporters noted that employment obligations, medical conditions and family duties may prevent attendance without diminishing anyone’s commitment to the club.
Local newspaper La Provincia reported receiving dozens of telephone calls and emails from anxious fans. “Some raised concerns about illness, difficulties attending during severe weather and frequent work-related travel,” it wrote. “They are extremely worried and keep asking the same thing: could we lose our season tickets?”
National newspaper Corriere della Sera also covered the online response, quoting one supporter who joked: “Will our parents have to come with us when we submit an absence note, as though we were still at school?”
Como competed in Serie D, the fourth level of Italian football, during the 2018-19 campaign after suffering two bankruptcies in the preceding 15 years. Last season, the modest northern Italian club completed a remarkable rise by finishing fourth, delivering several impressive displays that caught the wider football community by surprise.
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