AC Milan & Inter Milan have hired the architects behind Manchester United’s new stadium to build a 71,500-capacity ground, with San Siro set to be demolished.
The €1 billion project will see the two fierce rivals come together off the pitch in a once-in-a-generation move. Work is scheduled to begin in 2027, with doors opening to fans in 2030.
To design the new stadium, the clubs have turned to the same architects currently leading the reconstruction of Old Trafford. Lord Norman Foster’s firm, Foster + Partners, and David Manica’s MANICA Architecture have been handed the keys to the ambitious project.
Foster is already crafting United’s proposed 100,000-seater stadium, and his new Milan mission adds yet another football fortress to a career defined by bold, global landmarks.
A general view inside of Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Foster’s CV reads like a roll call of modern icons. From Apple’s glass-walled headquarters in Cupertino to the Hong Kong and Beijing airports, to the Millennium Bridge in London, his stamp is on the world’s most eye-catching structures. He also masterminded the Wembley Stadium precinct redevelopment, which is now buzzing with shops, restaurants and housing.
MANICA, meanwhile, has carved out a reputation as a leader in sporting arenas. Their resume includes Allegiant Stadium, home of NFL franchise Las Vegas Raiders, and the Chase Centre, where NBA giants Golden State Warriors play.
The firm is also behind two of America’s next mega-projects: the Chicago Bears’ new home and Miami Freedom Park, Inter Miami’s soon-to-open fortress.
This isn’t the first time Foster and Manica have crossed paths. Their collaboration stretches back nearly 30 years, starting with the new Wembley project. They also joined forces in the successful bid for Qatar’s Lusail Iconic Stadium.
The future San Siro stadium will rise on the land currently occupied by car parks behind the west stand of the current field. It will seat 71,500 fans, with 13,000 premium spaces dedicated to corporate guests and hospitality.
The existing San Siro, officially the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, will remain standing until the new venue is completed. Only then will dismantling work begin, and even then, the ground cannot be fully demolished.
