AC Milan and Inter unveil new stadium plans and ring the final bell for San Siro

September 21 – AC Milan and Internazionale have unveiled the latest plans to replace their historic San Siro stadium with a state-of-the-art stadium.

The Milan giants have long sought to build a new temple of football - 'La Catedral' - which will now be built near the current ground. Construction is expected to begin in 2024 with confirmation that the San Siro will be demolished.

The new municipal stadium will host the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics which will be organized by Milano-Cortina.

The capacity will be 65,000, smaller than the current San Siro Stadium, although current attendances for both clubs rarely exceed 50,000 per game.

The new project will include the urbanization of the adjacent area with a 50,000 square meter park, underground parking, a 17-storey double tower, a shopping center, a congress center and a sports museum.

The cost of the new stadium will exceed $1 billion and will be borne by both clubs. They will have to pay ground lease fees to the city council, but all stadium revenue will benefit the clubs.

Inter and AC Milan are forecasting a €120m increase in revenue, of which €80m will come from stadium sales and €40m from advertising inventory, according to Corriere della Sera.

Previous attempts to get the new stadium off the ground have encountered several obstacles. The clubs then launched a feasibility study into redeveloping the stadium and its surroundings after being told by the city that they could not demolish the old stadium.

"Every league in the world that has succeeded has done so by building new stadiums, with an incredible and inclusive experience for the fans," said Ivan Gazidis, CEO of AC Milan.

"We have it all: the football, the people, the fans. I see a bright future, it just takes courage. The creation of new stadiums is a fundamental step if we want to be at again at the top of the footballing world."

The San Siro stadium was inaugurated in 1926 and refurbished in 1955 and 1990. The site has hosted four Champions League finals, the last in 2016 between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

Contact the author of this story at moc.l1663781824labto1663781824ofdlr1663781824owedi1663781824sni@i1663781824tnuk.1663781824ardni1663781824mas1663781824