Inter Milan President Voices Concerns Over 2030 Stadium Timeline

On Friday, Giuseppe Marotta, the president of Inter Milan, expressed concerns that the sluggish pace of Italian bureaucracy could impede the projected 2030 completion date for the new San Siro stadium.

Inter and AC Milan finalized their acquisition of the historic 99-year-old stadium and its surrounding area from the city on Wednesday. This financing agreement paves the way for the Serie A clubs to demolish the existing stadium and collaboratively construct a new arena with a capacity of 71,500 seats.

The objective is to have the new facility ready in time for Italy’s co-hosting of the 2032 European Championship alongside Turkey. Marotta stated, “It is clear that the goal is to be prepared well ahead of Euro 2032 to ensure that this new stadium can be utilized during the tournament,” during a press conference at the Football Business Forum in Milan.

He added, “We hope that all this can happen, but we are confronted with the typically slow Italian bureaucracy. I am optimistic that we can complete this by 2030.”

As a speaker at the forum, Marotta elaborated on his criticism of Italian bureaucracy. “In the past 15 years, Europe has seen the construction of 50 stadiums with an investment of approximately €20 billion. In that same period, only three stadiums have undergone modernization in Italy, highlighting our significant lag,” he remarked.

“We must ask ourselves why this is the case. I believe the primary issue is not a lack of funding, but rather the inefficiency of the bureaucratic processes here.”

Both Milan clubs are owned by American companies, with Milan under RedBird and Inter operated by Oaktree. “It is noteworthy that two of Italy’s most prominent clubs are foreign-owned,” Marotta pointed out, indicating that the Italian system may not adequately support elite sports.

The clubs have already engaged architectural firms Foster + Partners and Manica to collaborate on the design of the new stadium, which will be part of a larger project spanning over 3 million square feet.

The acquisition deal for San Siro was valued at €197 million ($226 million), and Milan president Paolo Scaroni stated that the clubs would invest over €1 billion in the new stadium’s construction.

Projected annual revenues from the new venue could reach up to €180 million ($208 million) for each club, significantly surpassing their current earnings of approximately €80 million ($93 million) each. This increase is anticipated from attracting tourists during non-match days for stadium tours and museum visits, hosting concerts and other events, and potentially selling naming rights for the new arena.

Scaroni emphasized at the forum, “We aim to build the finest stadium in Europe. Milan is a footballing capital in Europe and deserves exceptional infrastructure. We envision a venue that is accessible to the world every day.”

“Currently, visiting San Siro can be intimidating due to the sparse activity outside of match days. Our vision is to create a vibrant environment where daily events, restaurants, hotels, and commercial activities will thrive. Such a development will be realized in Milan by 2030.”