AC Milan and Inter Reveal Plans to Acquire San Siro Stadium Site

Inter and AC Milan officially announced their collaborative initiative on Tuesday to construct a new stadium on the site of the legendary San Siro, following the presentation of a feasibility study to local authorities in Milan.

The proposal includes an intent to purchase the land housing the city-owned stadium, with the clubs stating their ambition to “finalise the acquisition process by July 2025.”

“The document outlines the proposal for acquiring the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium (San Siro) and the surrounding areas, along with a feasibility study for building a modern stadium,” the clubs conveyed in a joint statement.

“In the coming months, the two clubs will work closely with the Municipal Administration to examine and refine the specifics and unique aspects of the proposal… The final design and executive project may be presented at a future date and are not included in today’s submission.”

Last week, Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, expressed his hopes of selling the site “by the summer holidays.”

As giants of European football, Inter and Milan have long sought to replace the aging San Siro with a contemporary venue. In October, they revived a joint project that had been shelved in 2023 after more than three years navigating the bureaucratic and political landscape.

Before any demolition of the existing stadium takes place, a new arena—which was initially planned to accommodate 60,000 spectators but is now expected to hold over 70,000—would be constructed just to the west of the current site, on the existing car park and local park area.

Construction is not expected to commence until after next year’s Winter Olympics, during which the current San Siro will host the opening ceremony. Additionally, any sale of public land will require approval from the city council.

Concerns have been raised among councillors across the political spectrum, with dissatisfaction over what they perceive as a circumvention of local democratic processes, as Sala seeks to expedite the project to avoid the stigma of being the mayor who let two of the world’s most prominent football clubs depart the city.

A source informed AFP that there is enough anger among councillors that a vote on the sale of the land could swing in either direction.

Meanwhile, fans have voiced their apprehension that the new stadium could lead to rising ticket prices, as high-end hospitality boxes may replace seats that are usually occupied by the regular supporters, who consistently fill more than 70,000 seats for home matches of both teams.