San Siro, Milan's iconic stadium, celebrates its 100th anniversary this weekend, but the occasion is bittersweet as the ground will soon be demolished to make way for a modern replacement. Milan and Inter completed a joint purchase of the stadium and surrounding land in late 2025, with construction of a new purpose-built venue set to begin in early 2026. The move marks a key objective for Milan's owner RedBird, acquired in 2022, and promises both teams enhanced revenue streams to compete at European level as Serie A struggles to match Premier League earnings.

The new stadium, designed by Foster + Partners and Manica, is scheduled for completion in 2031 and will host matches at Euro 2032. Alessandro Costacurta, the legendary Milan defender who made 663 appearances for the Rossoneri and won seven Serie A titles and five European Cups, acknowledges San Siro's iconic status but concedes it lacks modern functionality, citing shortages of lifts, dated lounges and outdated facilities. Costacurta noted that San Siro's defining characteristic—the steepness of its stands—creates an atmosphere unique among Europe's famous grounds, a quality that contributed to some of football's greatest moments.