If you’ve spent any time lately near the Piazzale Angelo Moratti, you know the vibe. It’s heavy. The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, or San Siro as everyone actually calls it, stands there like a concrete giant that’s seen too many winters. For years, the drama surrounding a new Inter Milan stadium has felt like a never-ending Italian soap opera. One day they’re moving to Rozzano. The next, they’re staying. Then AC Milan says they’re off to San Donato. Honestly, it’s been exhausting for the Curva Nord to keep up.
But here we are in 2026, and the fog is finally lifting.
The "Populous Cathedral" that looked so beautiful in the renders? Forget about it. That project was scrapped after the local heritage authorities basically put a "do not touch" sticker on the old San Siro. Instead, we’ve entered a reality where Inter and AC Milan have actually bought the stadium and the surrounding land from the City of Milan. It cost them a cool €197 million. It’s a massive pivot that most people didn’t see coming two years ago.
The San Siro 2.0 Reality
So, what is the new Inter Milan stadium actually going to be? Well, it’s not just a fresh coat of paint. We’re looking at a brand-new, 71,500-seat venue built right next to the current one. Architecture firms Foster + Partners and MANICA are the ones holding the pens this time. They’ve ditched the old Populous design for something that looks more like a modern glass-and-steel bowl but keeps that "Milan" edge.
The timeline is pretty tight. If the current schedule holds—and in Italian bureaucracy, that’s a big "if"—construction is supposed to start in October 2027. They want to cut the ribbon by December 2030.
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Why the smaller capacity?
The current Meazza holds about 80,000. The new one drops to 71,500. This has caused some serious grumbling in the bars around the Navigli. Fans are worried about ticket prices skyrocketing. The club’s logic is basically that a slightly smaller, more "exclusive" stadium with 10 times more luxury boxes makes way more money than a giant concrete bowl that only fills up for the Derby or a Champions League semi-final.
It sucks for the average fan, but the financial gap between Inter and the Premier League giants is why this is happening. They need that "matchday revenue" everyone in suits talks about.
What happens to the old San Siro?
This is the part that feels a bit like a horror movie for traditionalists. About 90% of the current Meazza is going to be reduced to rubble. It’s painful. But, to satisfy the historians, they aren't flattening everything.
The plan is to keep a "wedge" of the old stadium standing. Specifically, a chunk of the south-east corner, including parts of the orange stand and the Curva Sud. They’re going to turn it into a sort of open-air museum and commercial space. Imagine grabbing a coffee inside the skeleton of the stadium where Milito or Ronaldo once scored. It’s weird, kinda cool, but definitely bittersweet.
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The "Tunnel Club" and other posh stuff
One of the wildest details in the new MANICA design is the player tunnel. It’s going to be transparent. If you pay for the "Tunnel Club" seats, you can literally watch Lautaro Martinez adjust his captain’s armband while you sip a glass of Franciacorta. It’s a huge departure from the old retractable tunnels designed to keep fans as far away as possible.
Is Rozzano officially dead?
For a while, Rozzano was the big threat. Inter had secured an option on a massive plot of land there, and it felt like they were ready to leave the city limits entirely. They even had Populous drawing up separate plans just for the Nerazzurri.
But as of early 2026, the Rozzano project is effectively the "Plan B" gathering dust in a drawer. The deal to buy the San Siro land changed everything. It’s much easier (and cheaper in the long run) to stay in a district already serviced by the M5 metro line than to build the infrastructure for a whole new area from scratch. Plus, the fans would have rioted. Staying at the "San Siro" site preserves the soul of the club, even if the building is different.
The 2026 Winter Olympics Factor
We can't talk about the stadium without mentioning the 2026 Winter Olympics. The opening ceremony is scheduled for February 6, 2026, right here at the old San Siro. This event is basically the stadium's "Last Dance."
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Because of the Olympics, no major demolition can start until the athletes have packed up and gone home. It’s why the construction schedule doesn't really ramp up until 2027. The city needs the old girl to host one last global party before the jackhammers move in.
What this means for your next matchday
If you're planning to visit Milan to see Inter play, the next couple of years are actually the best time to go. You get to see the original Meazza in its final form. By 2028, the area will be a massive construction site.
- The Park: The project includes 280,000 square meters of green space. It’s not just a stadium; it’s an "urban regeneration" project.
- The Noise: The new roof is being designed with sound-absorbing materials. Apparently, this makes the roar of the Curva Nord louder for the players while bothering the neighbors less.
- Accessibility: Expect way better elevators and ramps. The current San Siro is a nightmare if you aren't fully mobile.
Honestly, the new Inter Milan stadium is a necessity. As much as we love the spirals and the red beams of the current ground, it's falling apart. To stay relevant in Europe, Inter needs a home that makes money seven days a week, not just on Sunday afternoons.
Next Steps for Fans
If you want to keep track of the progress or see the actual design layouts, you should keep an eye on the official "Nuovo Stadio Milano" portal which the clubs update after every Council meeting. Also, if you’re a season ticket holder, watch your email—the club is expected to start a "Priority Seating" survey later this year to determine how fans will be transitioned from the old Curva to the new one. Now is the time to visit the Meazza museum if you haven't; half the stuff in there will likely be moved to the new headquarters by the time the 2030 season rolls around.