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.
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 centrepiece of the 2022 World Cup where Lionel Messi lifted the trophy. For Milan and Inter, that long-standing relationship brings confidence as they are not strangers thrown together but a seasoned partnership that has delivered stadiums of global renown.
The future stadium will rise on the land currently occupied by car parks behind the west stand of San Siro. It willseat 71,500 fans, with 13,000 premium spaces dedicated to corporate guests and hospitality. The design promises cutting-edge facilities, an eco-conscious build, and commercial attractions to cement it as more than just a football ground. The estimated cost, over €1bn, marks one of the biggest infrastructure investments in Italian sport.
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. Its cultural and architectural significance ensures that large parts of it will remain intact. That decision marks a major shift from the clubs’ scrapped 2021 plan to build a new arena dubbed ‘The Cathedral’. The latest project is more pragmatic, ensuring Milan doesn’t lose its historic landmark entirely while still embracing a modern future.
