San Siro turns 100: Iconic AC Milan and Inter stadium is in its final years as it gets honored for its history — SkimNews
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- San Siro marks its 100th anniversary on September 19, 2026, having been inaugurated on September 19, 1926 as a soccer-specific ground commissioned by former AC Milan owner Piero Pirelli before Inter joined in 1947.
- Inter and Italy legend Sandro Mazzola died at age 83 just minutes after midnight on September 19, 2026 — the exact day San Siro turned 100 — while AC Milan captain Franco Baresi, another San Siro great, also recently passed away after his final public appearance carrying the Olympic flame into the stadium alongside rival Beppe Bergomi.
- AC Milan and Inter are building a new stadium just meters from the current one, targeting construction to begin in early 2028 and a new venue ready to host matches by 2031, ahead of UEFA Euro 2032 co-hosted by Italy and Turkiye; the current San Siro will then be demolished.
- San Siro, Italy's largest stadium at 75,817 capacity, has an asymmetric design — three tiers on three sides but only two on the fourth — because a trotting track next to the original structure left no room for a third tier on that side.
- AC Milan's RedBird ownership, led by Gerry Cardinale, completed a €550 million refinancing in January 2026 arranged by Comvest Credit Partners, replacing the Elliott vendor loan to strengthen the club's financial footing for the new stadium project.
- Demetrio Albertini, who played for AC Milan from 1989 to 2002, recalled his fog-shrouded 1989 debut and described how San Siro's demanding fans make the stadium unique: even seasoned players hear the crowd's murmurs when they misplace a pass.
Why it matters: The clubs concluded San Siro's limited space caps revenue, justifying a €550 million-backed replacement by 2031 ahead of Euro 2032. Italy's largest stadium at 75,817 seats will be demolished after nearly a century — and two of the venue's defining figures, Mazzola and Baresi, are gone within months of the centennial.
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