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AC Milan and city rivals Inter have jointly revealed the design of their planned new stadium, which will be named the Generali Stadium. The 71,500-seater arena is aimed to be shared by the clubs from 2031 onwards, replacing the iconic San Siro.
Financial agreement and economic transformation
Italian insurance company Generali has agreed to pay about 650m euros (£542m) for naming rights through to 2052, making the agreement one of the most lucrative naming-rights deals in sports history. The two decades of naming rights break down to about £27m per season, or £13.5m per year for each club.
The new stadium is expected to cost about 1.2bn euros (£1bn) to construct. The clubs aim to generate income by selling just under 12,000 of the seats as premium or hospitality, while also hosting a wider array of events like concerts and fixtures in other sports.
AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale told BBC Sport that this is the biggest stadium naming-rights deal in global sports history, calling it a significant achievement for Italy on the world football stage. Cardinale explained that the stadium will fundamentally transform their economic model by boosting matchday revenues, hospitality, premium experiences, and commercial opportunities to help them compete with the biggest clubs in Europe.
Supporter reaction and stadium background
AC Milan has played at the San Siro for 100 years, while Inter moved into the venue in 1947. Both clubs purchased the stadium and surrounding land for 197m euros (£164m) in 2025. However, the plans have met opposition from some supporters, with Inter fans protesting outside the announcement venue carrying a banner that read ‘You will never extinguish the lights at San Siro’ and chanting against the move.
Cardinale stated that consistent competition with the best clubs in the world is impossible without proper infrastructure and economic models, noting that Italian football has fallen behind the benchmark set by the Premier League. The clubs described the Generali Stadium as a new home for generations of supporters that will contribute to the cultural, economic, and urban development of Milan.
Financial viability and wider comparisons
Dan Plumley, a sport finance professor at Sheffield Hallam University, explained that the 20-year guaranteed long-term income provides crucial security for the clubs. Plumley noted that the financial figures stack up well compared to Barcelona, where Spotify pays around 20m euros (£17m) per season to sponsor the Camp Nou, bringing the Milan clubs close to that level.
Plumley added that partners look for long-term relationships to build their profiles globally in regions like Asia and Africa, noting that getting in early allows sponsors to become part of the new history. While stadium naming rights are common in the United States and Germany, Plumley pointed out that English football faces challenges with such deals due to history, culture, and potential fan opposition, which can lower the financial attractiveness for clubs like Tottenham or West Ham.
Plumley also noted that timing and pitch performance matter greatly, as clubs must balance securing meaningful financial difference against what fans will tolerate, pointing to Everton securing a local partner like the Hill Dickinson law firm due to their competitive standing.
The Milan derby will be broadcast live on BBC Two, iPlayer, and BBC Alba on Saturday, 31 October.
