New Milan stadium will be the ‘cathedral’

Susy Campanale

Milan: It has now been announced that the ‘new’ San Siro stadium will be the Cattedrale design by Populous, chosen by Milan and Inter.

The various designs had been cut down to a shortlist and the decision has now been made, so the Nuovo Stadio di Milano will be the concept drawn up by Populous.

It is nicknamed The Cathedral because of its design taking in elements from the legendary Duomo Cathedral in Milan and the Galleria.

This will be built next to the existing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, which can then be knocked down or at least turned into a smaller arena for women’s football and youth teams to play in.

The area of the city is called San Siro, which is why the new stadium would still technically be San Siro.

“The Cathedral’s bespoke seating bowl will be the most intimate in Europe, bringing fans closer to the action than ever before and creating an unforgettable atmosphere,” read the prospectus.

“A sunlit galleria encircles the stadium enveloped by an elegant glass façade, providing a democratic space for all supporters and the citizens of Milano. Here, a wide-ranging offer of food and beverage outlets inspired by the world-renowned food culture of Milano, lounge spaces and bars cater for all visitors while celebrating the unique culture of Milano.

“The Cathedral has been designed to create a unique home for the fans and supporters of AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano, with bespoke installations that dramatically change the appearance of the architecture and incorporate the clubs’ unique identities into the building fabric. For Inter Milan, a coiled viper of blue light wraps itself around the stadium; while for AC Milan, the vertical buttresses glow a smouldering red emanating from the depths of the building.

“The stadium is designed to be the most sustainable stadium in Europe. The galleria is naturally cooled and passively heated, photovoltaic panels line the stadium roof to generate electricity that is stored in battery banks for later use, and all rainwater is collected from the roof and reused. The stadium is surrounded by 22 acres of green space, which reduce water runoff and counteract the ‘heat island’ effect. The entire district is connected to a central heating and cooling system.”

Populous are the same architectural design firm that conceived the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Milan and Inter’s new stadium should be built in the area of San Siro, with the current Stadio Meazza being partially demolished after the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The new stadium should be ready in 2027.

It will be smaller than the Meazza, with a seating capacity of 65,000 against the current 80,000.

There will be more executive seats to maximise the revenues, with Inter and Milan are expected to gain €80m each every year from their new home.