AC Milan and Inter 'agree to demolish' iconic San Siro stadium to make way for new £1bn ground

One of the most iconic football stadiums in the world, San Siro, is set to be entirely demolished.

The home of AC Milan and Inter will be completely knocked down after the 2026 Winter Olympics to make way for a new £1bn stadium, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The new venue, called 'The Cathedral', will be built on the same site as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, better known as San Siro.

It was initially planned that elements of San Siro would have been kept intact during the construction of the new stadium.

These included one of the spiralling staircases that make up the stadium's iconic exterior.

But the plan is now for the entire stadium will be demolished to make way for a new 60,000-seat ground.

Under the proposals, San Siro willl be demolished after it has hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

But a public debate needs to take place before the stadium, which was first opened in 1926 and is owned by the City of Milan, can be torn down.

Should the demolition be given the green light, it is hoped construction work on the new stadium can begin in 2024 with a view to it opening in time for the 2027-28 season.

Last year, AC Milan and Inter unveiled their plans for the new state-of-the-art stadium, which is designed to be the "greatest in Europe".

The stadium has a rectangular shape and will be surrounded by vertical fins, which will extend outwards to support a glass wall that will enclose a space described as a "sunlit galleria".

The inspiration behind its design is said to be two of Milan's most famous buildings, the Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

According to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, Inter and AC Milan estimate an increase in revenues of €120m (£105m) at the new stadium, despite the reduction in capacity from the 80,000-seat San Siro.

Announcing the plans last year, AC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis admitted the decision to demolish San Siro was a difficult one.

🏟️ | STADIO

Il concept presentato dallo studio Populous, noto come "la Cattedrale", è risultato essere il progetto prescelto per il @NuovoStadioMI 👉 https://t.co/sr52p2L6HX pic.twitter.com/Ms3ttjA2XV

— Inter (@Inter) December 21, 2021

"I understand the doubts, because San Siro is a special place, but it's necessary to have courage," Gazidis told the club's website.

"Feelings exist and cannot be questioned. The memories of San Siro will be there forever, no one will be able to erase them, it's impossible.

"Every league in the world that has been successful has done so by building new stadiums, with an incredible and inclusive experience for the fans.

"We have everything that is needed: the football, the people, fans. I see a brilliant future, you just need to have courage.

"Creating new stadiums is a fundamental step if we want to be at the top of the football world again."

SPORTbible Stories is the brand-new podcast from the SPORT team at LADbible. The first episode features a chat with former Burnley manager Sean Dyche as he opens up on his departure from Turf Moor, what the future holds and the amazing story of the spin wheel for fines while in charge of the Clarets. You can watch the first episode here.