Why AC Milan & Inter share the San Siro

Follow us on Google Discover

Why do AC Milan and Inter share a stadium? Many have asked on Google as the San Siro prepares to host the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final.

After Real Madrid and Manchester City played out a 1-1 draw inside the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night, the second Semi-Final of Europe’s greatest club competition is set to take place on Wednesday evening.

In a rare event, both legs will be played at the same stadium as AC Milan and Inter share the iconic San Siro, but why is that the case?

Let’s take a look…

Why do AC Milan and Inter share a stadium?

Well, the San Siro – also known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza – first belonged to AC Milan after it was constructed in 1926.

Inter played their home games at the nearby Arena Civica.

In 1947 – however – both sides began to share the San Siro following positive feedback regarding the experience, and it has remained that way ever since.

Primarily, the San Siro is shared due to a lack of alternative options in the city of Milan, while it is also highly convenient for both sets of supporters.

The Italian Football Federation ensure that neither AC Milan or Inter ever have a home game scheduled on the same day to avoid congestion.

How the San Siro will be split up

Many have also wondered how both sets of fans will be split up across the two legs.

AC Milan have been named as the home side for the first leg, so their supporters will be given the majority of the seats with a smaller amount of Inter fans placed in the away section.

In the second leg, it will simply be a reverse of that – a larger volume of Inter fans will be present as they fill the home section, whereas a handful of AC Milan fans lucky enough to get a ticket will be in the away end.

San Siro demolition

AC Milan and Inter are both set to move into a new stadium called The Cathedral in 2027.

Construction work will begin in the second half of 2024.

Some have suggested that the San Siro will be demolished as a result.

However – according to Italy’s Culture Ministry Vittorio Sgarbi – it will be protected.

The 71-year-old told Il Giorno: “I am convinced that the stadium should not be demolished, not so much for its architectural value as for the importance as a symbol and for the protection of memory.”