Definition of San Siro

Most people might not have heard of the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, but many have heard of the San Siro. Home to A.C and Inter Milan, this stadium has been hosting these European giants for nearly 100 years. It is the largest stadium in Italy and one of the largest in Europe.

The stadium was officially owned by A.C. Milan for the first 10 years of its existence, before being split with Inter. The capacity of the San Siro was planned to go to 150,000 until standards reduced that to 85,000. In 1980, the stadium was officially renamed after Giuseppe Meazza, a Milanese footballer who played for both clubs in his career.

Some of the biggest games to be hosted at the San Siro include 4 European cup finals, with the latest being in 2016. World Cup games from both the 1934 and 1990 editions of the competition were also held there, while it will host the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The San Siro has played host to other events as well. A boxing match between Duilio Loi vs. Carlos Ortiz for the Junior Welterweight title was held in 1960. A rugby union match between Italy and New Zealand was also held there, as well as a variety of concerts since 1980.

In 2019, it was announced that a new stadium was going to be built to replace the San Siro. This has been met with skepticism and opposition by fans of both clubs, who treasure the historic stadium. One can only hope that the San Siro remains standing, as it is a bastion of footballing history in both Italy and Europe at large.