One of Football's Greatest Stadiums Is About To Disappear and It's an Absolute Shambles

One of Football's Greatest Stadiums Is About To Disappear and It's an Absolute Shambles

The San Siro is set for demolition, and the state of football is to blame.

Now this may sound like a bit of a football elitist, nostalgia merchant take, but let me explain.

Home to Italian giants Inter and AC Milan, the news of the demolition broke on 5 November as the clubs plan to replace it with a new, modern stadium. Opening 99 years ago, the footballing cathedral has been home to just over 75,000 of some of the most loyal fans in the world on matchdays, witnessing countless moments of triumph and success in the eloquent histories of both clubs.

Demolishing San Siro is football heritage murder. You don’t replace history with a shopping mall-looking ‘ultra modern’ stadium. Shameful decision.

— RASHWAK (@Rashwak001) September 30, 2025

It is truly one of the most adored stadiums in the world, it's rustic charm standing out in recent years as a beacon of what football once was - a game for the fans.

Now it is soon to be gone.

So why demolish the San Siro?

The hierarchy of both clubs have been pushing for this move to happen in recent years, claiming that the stadium is holding them back financially and has been too much of a burden.

In fairness, they probably aren't wrong.

Football financial experts have defended the decision, displaying evidence that the ancient nature of the San Siro has eaten up much of the budgets of both clubs, as well as holding back their potential matchday revenue exponentially.

The financial difficulty they both face has been widely considered to have been a major factor into their respective declines in performance on the European stage - they both went from regular contendors for the Champions League to strugglers. Though Inter have reached two finals in recent years, they were deservedly beaten by Man City and blown away by PSG.

Italian sides just aren't proving the threat in Europe that they used to.

Remarkably, AC and Inter have had less spending power than that of Wolves and Brighton in the last five years, with Inter spending even less that Leeds and Bournemouth, both of whom have had stints in the Championship in that time.

❗Sunderland earned €260M for promotion which is over three times Inter made all season with just €81M as Serie A’s top earners. pic.twitter.com/gXxcsGzyd9

— Nerazzurri Society (@nerazzurriSoci_) June 6, 2025

Clearly the financial disparity between the top flights of Italy and England are a major concern, and adopting an 'out with the old, in with the new' attitude with regards to the stadium may well go a long way in bridging that gap for the two Milan sides.

Having Tottenham and Everton-esque facilities would open up huge opportunities for financial freedom, both in matchday revenue and international fixtures; the San Siro has been deemed unfit for purpose to host games in Euro 2032.

Ironically, it has cost the clubs a whopping €197m (£173m) to obtain the stadium and its surrounding land. You might be thinking "if it will make the clubs so much money, how could this possibly be a bad decision for football?"

I have one word for you: Greed.

What this says about modern football

If the path to financial freedom means the removal of some of football's most beautiful stadiums, then we have to consider what we value more.

Evidently, AC and Inter value money more than their history and their fans. When you look at Barcelona and Camp Nou, another of beautiful stadium full of history and character, the Blaugrana accepted the bill of €1.5 billion to renovate the stadium and increase its capacity, rather than remove it from existence.

San Siro's demolition is reflective of the greed that has encumbered football and the chase for money above all else.

I’ve had some of the best times of my life in the “San Siro”. For them to demolish this place is a crime 😡😡https://t.co/ryXSvCCFgG pic.twitter.com/TxPFT0lLu4

— Streetwise Stu (@StreetwiseStu79) November 6, 2025

It is complete and utter heartbreak to lose one of the world's most revered and lauded stadiums, and for it to be replaced by a soulless corporate hunk of boring minimalist nonsense is nothing but a slap in the face, not only to fans of the clubs but to those who love the game the world over.

A monument of character and history, a microcosm of what made football great, and a reflection of how Italian football once stood above all else, will no longer stand.

Let the rubble be a reminder of what football is becoming. A corporate machine standing on the corpse of the beautiful game.