AFC Bournemouth hosts AC Milan at Vitality Stadium on Thursday, October 22, 2026, for Matchday 3 of the Europa League league phase, with kickoff set for 3:00 PM ET. Premier League side Bournemouth, unbeaten so far in continental competition, welcomes a Milan team that has scored heavily on its own run through the group stage.
Serie A giants Milan and the English south-coast club share more than a date on the calendar. Despite both clubs wearing red-and-black stripes, Thursday marks the first-ever competitive meeting between Bournemouth and Milan, a fact that underlines just how far the Cherries have traveled since their first Premier League promotion.
Bill Foley's American Project Reaches a New Level
The man most responsible for that rise is sitting in the chairman's seat on Thursday night. American businessman Bill Foley completed his takeover of Bournemouth, replacing previous owner Maxim Demin, in a deal that made him one of several US investors reshaping English football.
From Insurance Fortune to Vegas Golden Knights
Foley built his fortune chairing Fidelity National Financial and is already a familiar name to American sports fans as the founder and owner of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights. His investment vehicle, Black Knight Football Club, has since expanded into a multi-club operation with stakes in clubs such as French side Lorient.
'Always Advance, Never Retreat'
When he completed the Bournemouth purchase, Foley pledged to approach the club with what he called an «always advance, never retreat» philosophy. That ambition resurfaced this week: speaking to talkSPORT ahead of the Milan game, the Bournemouth owner stressed that reaching this stage of the Europa League is only the beginning of his long-term plans, and that Champions League qualification remains his stated target for the club.
Bournemouth's Perfect European Start Meets an In-Form Milan
On the pitch, Marco Rose's side has matched the ambition of its ownership. Bournemouth opened its European campaign with a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad before following up with a 3-0 home victory over Sturm Graz, giving the club a maximum six points from its first two Europa League fixtures.
That European form has come alongside some domestic turbulence, including their recent 1-5 defeat to Chelsea, though Bournemouth steadied itself with a 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland last weekend. Milan arrives in better overall shape: under new manager Amorim, the Rossoneri have lost just once all season, away to Benfica, and sit fourth in Serie A after collecting 15 points. Milan also impressed in Europe, hammering Red Bull Salzburg 4-0 in their most recent continental outing.
Team News
Bournemouth will be without several first-team options through injury, including Julián Araujo, Veljko Milosavljević, Alex Scott and Junior Kroupi. Milan, for its part, is missing Filippo Terracciano through suspension alongside a list of injured players, including Gonçalo Ramos, Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia and Alexis Saelemaekers.
How to Watch in the United States
American viewers can follow Thursday's match on CBS Sports Network, with streaming options including Fubo, Paramount+, TUDN USA, UniMás and ViX. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM ET and 12:00 PM PT at Vitality Stadium.
What Comes Next
A result against Milan would move Bournemouth closer to the Europa League's knockout phase and add further momentum to Foley's broader project at the club, which has already included new training facilities and sustained investment in the first-team squad. For Milan, a positive result on the south coast of England would keep Amorim's largely unbeaten start to his tenure intact as the club balances its Serie A push with continental ambitions. Either way, Thursday's meeting between two clubs linked by their stripes — and now, briefly, by an American owner's European ambitions — adds another chapter to a Europa League campaign already producing plenty of storylines across the continent.