By Milan, April 2, 2025 – Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala has reaffirmed his goal to finalize the sale of the iconic San Siro stadium by the summer, as reported in a recent Sky Sport post on X. The announcement comes as AC Milan and Inter Milan, who have shared the historic venue since 1926, push forward with plans for a new €1.25 billion stadium to be built adjacent to the current site. However, the process is fraught with challenges, including bureaucratic delays and cultural heritage concerns that have long complicated stadium projects in Italy.
Nuovo stadio Inter-Milan, Sala: “Obiettivo chiudere vendita San Siro entro l’estate”#SkySport #SanSiro https://t.co/DpchWtHVi3
— skysport (@SkySport) April 2, 2025
Speaking at an event in Linate, Sala responded to comments from Inter president Giuseppe Marotta, who had expressed skepticism about the timeline due to Italy’s notoriously slow bureaucratic processes. “Marotta should focus on winning the Scudetto,” Sala quipped, adding, “Our objective remains to close the sale of San Siro by the summer.” He emphasized the city’s commitment to ensuring proper evaluations while adhering to regulations, noting that discussions with regional authorities, including Lombardy president Attilio Fontana, are ongoing to facilitate the process.
The San Siro sale, valued at €197 million by the clubs, faces significant hurdles. Italy’s cultural heritage authorities have imposed restrictions, including a ban on demolishing the stadium’s second tier if the sale isn’t completed by November 10, 2025. Marotta, speaking at a recent “Merger & Acquisition” event, highlighted the broader issue, stating, “In the last ten years, Europe has built 153 stadiums, but only two in Italy. The bureaucratic process here is very difficult.” He also noted a recent legal challenge following the clubs’ purchase proposal, underscoring the complexities of the project.
The new stadium, set to have a capacity of 71,500 with 13,000 premium hospitality seats, will be constructed on the current San Siro parking lots. However, construction won’t begin until after the 2026 Winter Olympics, as San Siro is slated to host the opening ceremony—a nod to its storied history. With a projected completion date of 2030, the new venue aims to modernize facilities for both clubs while preserving San Siro’s legacy. As the summer deadline looms, all eyes are on whether Sala can navigate the bureaucratic maze to make this vision a reality.
