The San Siro Sale: A Rare Italian Exception
In late September, Milan authorities approved the sale of the iconic San Siro stadium to Inter and AC Milan for €197 million.
The historic arena will be largely demolished and replaced with a new venue by 2031. This purchase represents an extraordinary departure from Italy’s norm, where football clubs rarely own their stadiums outright.
A Century-Old Practice Rooted in Fascist History
This tradition of municipal stadium ownership dates back 100 years to the era of Benito Mussolini, whose regime embarked on an ambitious program to construct monumental, modern sports arenas across Italy.
Italy’s Pioneering State Stadium Program
Italy became the first country to implement a national stadium construction program, predating similar initiatives in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany by several years.
Of the 20 Serie A clubs, 11 currently play in stadiums originally built during the 1920s.
Ancient Arenas Still in Use
Two other clubs compete in even older venues: Arena Garibaldi in Pisa opened in 1919, while Genoa’s Luigi Ferraris dates back to 1911.
While these stadiums have undergone repairs, expansions, and renovations over the decades, some retain much of their original character. Bologna’s Renato Dall’Ara stadium, for instance, still closely resembles its 1920s black-and-white photographs.
More Than Just Italian Conservatism
The preservation of these historic venues isn’t solely due to Italian traditionalism and heritage appreciation.
Frequently, there’s insufficient funding and political will for stadium upgrades because the facilities remain on municipal balance sheets. This situation isn’t accidental but rather a direct legacy of Italy’s totalitarian past.
Mussolini’s Sports Infrastructure Revolution
Under fascist rule, the government became the primary driver of sports infrastructure development.
Shortly after coming to power, Mussolini launched an extensive stadium construction program, marking the first time worldwide that a state acted as the principal commissioner of sports facilities on such a massive scale.
Renato Ricci: The Man Behind the Construction
Mussolini entrusted the building program to Renato Ricci, a fervent fascist supporter and World War I veteran.
In 1922, Ricci participated in the “March on Rome” – the massive fascist demonstration that pressured King Victor Emmanuel III to appoint Mussolini as head of government.
The Balilla Youth Organization
Four years later, Ricci assumed leadership of the Balilla, a pro-fascist youth organization designed for the physical and moral education of young Italians.
The name referenced the nickname of Giovan Battista Perasso, an 18th-century figure who allegedly started a Genoese rebellion against Austrian forces.
Mass Youth Mobilization
By 1930, the Balilla organization united approximately 900,000 children aged 8 to 14, while nearly 400,000 older youths belonged to the Avanguardisti movement.
After reorganization, both groups fell under the Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB), which maintained near-military discipline, organizing teenagers into “legions” with assigned officers and including military training in their curriculum.
The Stadium Building Imperative
With ONB branches spanning the entire country, Renato Ricci secured significant privileges for the organization. While ONB already had access to gymnasiums and athletic stadiums, the ambitious goal of molding a new generation of Italians demanded more substantial facilities. This necessity sparked the construction of the large stadiums that would become Mussolini’s lasting legacy in Italian football.
