For the past few months, discussions have been ongoing regarding where Fiorentina would relocate during the renovation of Franchi stadium. Several options were considered for moving to different venues, but none seemed satisfactory enough to fully please all parties involved.

Mayor announces decision

The prolonged discussions raised concerns that the reconstruction might be delayed, risking the loss of substantial funding. However, at the end of January, the mayor of Florence announced a resolution to the situation. Dario Nardella declared that the team would continue playing at Stadio Artemio Franchi during the construction work. Even with a reduced stadium capacity, the team remains in the city. At this point, the mayor assures that approximately 22,000 people will be able to attend events at the stadium during the renovation, about 5,000 more than the number of season tickets sold. The rent for the 2024/2025 season is expected to be around €600,000.

What about fans?

The La Nazione portal decided to gauge the sentiments of the fans regarding the decision. It's always better to play in Florence. Inconveniences due to construction? Well, okay, but away trips are expensive, one fan expressed. Another stated, The stadium renovation requires too much money. It's better to have a strong team and a weak stadium than the other way around. This is better; there's no need to move, echoed another supporter.

Such voices seem to dominate among Fiorentina enthusiasts, suggesting that this is the best of the available decisions, or rather, the only feasible one.

© Sailko

Is Carlo Castellani next in Line?

Mayor Brenda Barnini of Empoli also weighed in on the matter. Fiorentina had intended to play its home games there, but due to concerns about societal sentiments, Empoli authorities decided to block this possibility. More on the temporary venue selection issue for Viola was discussed [here].

I am very pleased that Mayor Nardella has found a solution that guarantees Fiorentina the opportunity to continue playing at the Franchi stadium. Empoli will also present a proposal for the project and modernization of Castellani and I hope it can be a positive starting point for the needs of our city and society. If so, in a few years, Metropolitan Florence could be the only one in Italy to modernize two stadiums and be ready to host the 2032 European Championships. This will be a great economic opportunity for both our region and the entire country, reads a statement from the Emp oli municipality's press office.

Projekt stadionu Fiorentiny