The Milan City Council vote on the San Siro stadium project, originally scheduled for July, has been postponed until September. The decision stems from a compromise between Mayor Giuseppe Sala and the Democratic Party (PD), which requested more time due to an ongoing urban planning investigation by prosecutors.

Investigation and corruption allegations in the background

The Milan prosecutor’s office is conducting an investigation into alleged corruption within the city’s urban planning department, involving key figures in the local administration. At the center of the case is Giancarlo Tancredi, city councillor for redevelopment, who is reportedly expected to resign. Other individuals under scrutiny include Giuseppe Marinoni, former head of the Landscape Commission, and architect Federico Pella, a partner at the firm J+S. Prosecutors suspect the existence of a shadow urban plan – an informal system of influence and agreements designed to enable investment speculation around the San Siro stadium area, the surrounding neighborhood, and the Porta Romana district, where the Olympic Village for Milan-Cortina 2026 is planned.

In the coming days, the investigating judge will decide on possible precautionary measures against those involved. Giancarlo Tancredi is expected to appear in court to present his side of the story. The investigation has caused major political tension, with the city’s leadership caught in a difficult position – forced to negotiate with football clubs while public attention is fixed on the unfolding scandal.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak

Vote postponed until september

Despite the circumstances, Mayor Giuseppe Sala maintains that he intends to finalize talks with Milan and Inter before the technical deadline in November. He has repeatedly emphasized that the project to sell and redevelop San Siro cannot be delayed any longer if Milan is to retain control over the stadium’s future. However, after a meeting with PD representatives – including metropolitan secretary Alessandro Capelli, regional secretary Silvia Roggiani, and councillors' group leader Beatrice Uguccioni – Sala agreed to move the vote to September. According to Corriere della Sera, PD politicians raised concerns about the original timeline and argued that caution is necessary in light of the investigation. Nevertheless, they confirmed their political support and willingness to continue talks with the clubs, albeit at a more deliberate pace.

Meanwhile, Il Giornale reported that during a July 18 meeting with Milan and Inter representatives at Palazzo Marino, Sala assured them that despite the tension around the prosecutor’s probe, he remains committed to completing the stadium sale. Although the decision is on hold until September, the mayor is striving to keep dialogue open and to prepare the ground for an agreement he considers vital not only for the future of football in Milan but also for the development of key urban areas.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak