The San Siro is set to be demolished and replaced with a much smaller stadium, with the new build set to be completed before the 2032 European Championship. Italy will host the tournament along with Turkey in six years' time, and a newly built San Siro will be one of the tournament's centrepieces.
Long-Standing Plans Accelerated
There have long been suggestions that the San Siro could be demolished and replaced with a new stadium, but attempts to accelerate plans have always been met with opposition. However, it would appear that the wheels are firmly in motion, with one of the most iconic venues in world football set to bid farewell to the beautiful game in the coming years.
Foster+Partners and Manica are behind the proposed new designs, which haven't been released yet, but one detail is already known: San Siro will be smaller. Its current capacity is 80,000 (although that has been limited to 75,000), with the new stadium set to hold 71,500 people instead.
Revenue Focus and Design Timeline
That's according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, who report over 13,000 of the 71,500 seats will serve hospitality guests. As such, while the base capacity might be smaller, the modernised San Siro - in theory - would be able to generate Inter Milan and AC Milan more revenue via hospitality packages.
The plans for the design, which are being developed by those behind Wembley Stadium, are set to be released by the end of the month. But the mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala, has urged them just to get a move on, saying: "I hope the clubs will very soon show the new stadium rendering and guarantee that the facility will be ready for the 2032 European Championships."
Demolition and Completion Schedule
The plan is to have the stadium completed well in advance of the 2032 Euros. UEFA boast strict guidelines when it comes to submitting stadiums for the tournament on time.
As for a timeline surrounding the demolition, it's reported that the municipality and region have agreed to finalise the necessary procedures by summer 2027. It would mean the demolition of San Siro in its current state will begin in the second half of 2027, around 12 months from now.
