One of the world’s most famous stadiums is set for its last hurrah as it hosts the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro. Long considered one of football’s holy grails, the iconic ground will introduce the Milan-Cortina Games to the world with a ceremony featuring an athletes’ parade held in all four clusters of the sprawling Olympics taking place across a vast area of northern Italy.
But the legendary old ground is on course for replacement after more than a century of hosting Inter Milan and AC Milan matches. In September, the local government of Italy’s economic capital approved a 197-million-euro sale of just over 28 hectares (70 acres) of public land on which San Siro sits to the two clubs.
Inter and AC Milan will abandon the iconic ground once their new stadium is built; planned for completion in time to host matches at the 2032 European Championship, this modern 71,500-capacity venue will be constructed to the immediate west of the current San Siro on land currently occupied by matchday car parking and a local park.
Once finished, San Siro will be almost entirely demolished to make way for new parkland, office space, and entertainment facilities. The stadium no longer meets European football governing body UEFA’s requirements to host major events and was denied the 2027 Champions League final.
Friday’s ceremony is set to mark the last major international sporting event hosted at a stadium that is so beloved it is nicknamed “Football’s La Scala,” after Milan’s historic opera house. The San Siro, inaugurated in September 1926 with a derby match between Inter and AC Milan, has over the years also served as one of Italy’s premier concert venues.
Initially owned by AC Milan but bought by the city in the 1930s with Inter making it their home in 1947, San Siro underwent significant renovations, adding a third tier ahead of the 1990 World Cup. The stadium’s last major works, which gave it the futuristic look featuring spiralling external columns and a striking red roof, still captures attention three decades later.
From reggae icons Bob Marley to contemporary superstars Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, San Siro has attracted massive crowds for summertime performances from both international hit machines and local favourites like Grammy-winning rock band Maneskin. The planned new stadium is on track to be built by the end of 2030 but with local elections due next year, approval remains uncertain.
Despite repeated political efforts over the years to prevent demolition, anger at the idea persists among politicians. San Siro will likely mark its final days as a major sports venue in February when it hosts the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics.