Foster + Partners and MANICA Design 71,500-Seat Replacement for Milan's San Siro

AC Milan and Inter have unveiled a 71,500-seat stadium by Foster + Partners and MANICA that will replace San Siro, with construction set to start in 2028 and the first match scheduled for the 2031/32 season, subject to planning approvals. The clubs estimate construction costs at approximately €1.2 billion.

The new venue, named Generali Stadium under a naming-rights agreement with the Italian insurer reportedly worth €650 million through 2052, will stand alongside the existing San Siro within a 281,000-square-meter redevelopment. The scheme replaces a 2021 Populous design that never proceeded, and it follows the clubs' purchase of the stadium and surrounding land from the Milan City Council in September 2025 for €197 million.

For practitioners, the structure carries the story. A concrete X-frame extends from the colonnades across the facade and supports the roof, drawing on what the designers describe as Milan's architectural and engineering heritage. Diamond-shaped entrances open onto panoramic concourses. The roof, measuring approximately 244 by 270 meters, uses a spoke-wheel structural system and carries 27,500 square meters of photovoltaic panels.

What does the sustainability brief include?

The project targets LEED Gold certification and carbon-neutral operation. The all-electric facility will incorporate:

• naturally ventilated spaces
• rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling
• high-efficiency LED lighting
• 27,500 square meters of photovoltaic panels

How will the bowl treat the fans?

Two seating tiers form a continuous 360-degree bowl designed for clear sightlines and to bring spectators closer to the pitch. At either end, two steeply inclined sections, each holding approximately 11,700 supporters, reinterpret the Curvas — the traditional gathering areas for the clubs' most active fan groups.

The 71,500-seat capacity breaks down into 8,088 hospitality seats, 3,698 premium general admission seats and 394 wheelchair positions. Beyond football, the venue will host concerts, rugby and American football.

The wider masterplan extends past the stadium itself. Public spaces, landscaped areas, retail and leisure facilities are intended to keep the district active throughout the year — a shift from the single-use model that has defined the site since San Siro opened in 1926 as AC Milan's home ground.

Why is the replacement contested?

The announcement on October 29, 2026, drew protest. A group of Inter fans displayed a banner calling for the preservation of the existing stadium, and heritage advocates continue to oppose demolition. San Siro, also known as Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, became a shared venue in 1947 when Inter moved in, and it underwent major expansions ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

The planning fight is not over. The project still requires planning approvals before the 2028 construction start, and San Siro is expected to remain in operation until the new venue opens, after which most of its structure is planned for demolition.

The Milan scheme joins a wave of large-scale sports architecture now in motion. Heatherwick Studio and MANICA Architecture have designed a 62,000-seat stadium for Birmingham's forthcoming Sports Quarter, while BDP, Cox Architecture and Collage Design have unveiled a masterplan for a 350-acre sports district in Ahmedabad, India, organized around the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium.