In football, fierce rivals usually want nothing to do with each other, particularly when it comes to their home grounds. But in Milan, two of Italy’s biggest clubs have spent almost eight decades sharing the same stadium despite their fierce rivalry.

Inter Milan and AC Milan have both called the iconic San Siro home since 1947, making their arrangement one of the most unusual relationships in European football.

The two clubs compete against each other for domestic and European honours, but when it comes to their home matches, they share the same pitch, stands and facilities.

San Siro was originally built for AC Milan, with construction beginning in 1925 under then-president Piero Pirelli.

The stadium was officially opened in September 1926, with Milan playing their first competitive match there in October that year.

Inter, meanwhile, played their home matches at the Arena Civica before moving to San Siro in 1947.

The move brought the two city rivals under one roof, a partnership that has continued ever since.

The stadium was acquired by the Municipality of Milan in 1935, providing a shared municipal venue for the clubs.

Practical considerations also played a role. Sharing one major stadium offered financial advantages, allowing the clubs to avoid the enormous costs of developing and maintaining separate facilities in the same city.

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Although the rivalry between the clubs remains intense, the arrangement has proved beneficial beyond football.

Rather than investing separately in two major stadiums, Inter and Milan have been able to share infrastructure and the costs associated with operating a large football venue.

However, San Siro’s ageing facilities have increasingly become a concern.

The stadium has not undergone the level of modernisation required to meet the ambitions of two clubs seeking to compete with Europe’s biggest football institutions.

That has pushed them towards a new project, rather than simply continuing with the existing structure.

A new shared home

On October 29, 2026, the clubs unveiled plans for Generali Stadium, their proposed new 71,500-capacity home.

The project is expected to move into construction in 2028, with the first match targeted for the 2031/32 season, subject to the necessary approvals.

FKA/BAI