The city council meeting ended last night: the sale of the stadium was approved with 24 votes in favor and 20 against. Inter and Milan on the new facility to be built: “It is destined to become a new architectural icon.”

San Siro is about to be sold to Inter and Milan, who in the coming months will be able to work on the construction of a new stadium in the area of the current parking lots and the demolition of most of the Meazza. The Milan City Council decided this late at night, after an endless session that began at 4:30 p.m. and ended at 3:50 a.m. As expected, the vote was very close: 24 votes in favor, 20 votes against, and two councilors who did not participate in the vote. The sale is not yet complete but will be soon, barring any major surprises from the banks in the next 40 days.

Yesterday, the City Council was called upon to approve the City Council’s resolution to sell the San Siro stadium and surrounding areas to Milan and Inter. The price, based on the Revenue Agency’s valuation of the area, was set at €197 million, with a €22 million discount promised by the City.  The final positions in doubt were decided during the afternoon.

DECISIVE MOVES – Monica Romano, a PD councilor considered to be undecided, officially announced her yes vote at the beginning of the day. Marco Fumagalli, leader of the Sala list, who had always been considered the most undecided, announced that he would not vote in favor of the sale. The turning point came when Forza Italia announced in the early afternoon that it would not vote against the resolution to sell to the clubs, distancing itself from the center-right opposition vote. “The resolution has many critical issues and numerous shortcomings, but we are talking about the redevelopment of an important area of the city and the possibility of allowing Milan and Inter to have their own stadium,” said Alessandro Sorte, coordinator of Forza Italia in Lombardy. “We will not vote yes, but we will not vote against it either, because that would mean condemning Milan and the Milanese.” He then left the chamber so as not to participate in the vote. This came as a surprise because a few days ago, Forza Italia had taken a rather firm stance against the resolution. Letizia Moratti, president of the National Council of Forza Italia and former mayor of Milan, expressed similar views, while Alessandro De Chirico, a Forza Italia councilor, went against his party’s recommendations, declaring himself “firmly opposed.” However, the departure of the other Forza Italia councilors from the chamber was decisive.

INTER AND MILAN PRESS RELEASE – Milan and Inter issued a joint press release this morning: “AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano express their satisfaction with the City Council’s approval of the sale of San Siro and the surrounding area: a historic and decisive step for the future of the clubs and the city. Pending official communication of the outcome of the council debate by the City Council, the clubs look forward with confidence and responsibility to the next steps in the process that will lead to the construction of a new stadium that meets the highest international standards: a world-class facility destined to become a new architectural icon for Milan and a symbol of the passion of soccer fans around the world.”

AND NOW, WHAT HAPPENS? –  The sale to Inter and Milan must be finalized by November 10, the date by which the deed must be signed. In short, the next 40 days will be used to obtain the green light from the banks and complete the paperwork for the transfer of ownership. From here on, we need to talk about the clubs’ plans. Manica and Foster + Partners, the two world-renowned architectural firms chosen by Inter and Milan, are expected to develop the design for the new stadium over the next 12 months, for which there are ideas but no drawings. Work on the new stadium, to be built in the parking area of the current Meazza, is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2027, with the new facility opening in 2031 after four years of construction. UEFA would thus have a new stadium for Euro 2032, to be added to the Juventus Stadium and other facilities to be defined in 2026. The Meazza, on the other hand, would remain standing for concerts and other activities and then, between 2031 and 2032, would be dismantled, 90% demolished with the exception of the south-east corner, with a tower, part of the orange grandstand and the south stand. Plans and projects to be put to the test of appeals—many appeals—that are already ready to be filed. This story will be a long one.