Soccer Football - The Italian Footballers Association Grand Gala of Football 2024 awards - Superstudio Maxi, Milan, Italy - December 2, 2024 Paolo Scaroni, AC Milan president REUTERS/Claudia Greco
ROME (Reuters) -Milan's new soccer stadium, due to replace the historic San Siro ground, will be ready in time for the start of the 2030-2031 Serie A season, AC Milan Chairman Paolo Scaroni said in an interview published on Saturday.
AC Milan is leading the project, which won city council approval this week, alongside city rivals Inter. The nearly century-old San Siro is set to be knocked down in favour of a more modern facility.
"Our aim is to complete the stadium in 2030," Scaroni told financial paper Milano Finanza, adding that works should start in 2027.
First the clubs need to sign off on the purchase of the old ground, a necessary step prior to its demolition. Scaroni said that should happen by the end of the month.
It will then take more than a year to finalise the project for the new stadium, which includes a broader redevelopment of the San Siro area with commercial and residential buildings, and secure planning approval, he added.
Italy is under growing pressure to upgrade the quality of its soccer arenas, driven by foreign investors backing Serie A clubs and the need for more functional venues for the 2032 European Championship, which Italy will co-host with Turkey.
The new stadium should also help the Milanese clubs substantially increase their matchday revenue, which currently lags behind their European rivals, Scaroni said.
The plan to demolish the old San Siro has faced opposition from politicians, local citizens' committees and others who would have liked to preserve one of the temples of Italian soccer.
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini; Editing by Susan Fenton)
