AS Roma have taken another long-awaited step toward the construction of their new stadium. Just after 7:00 p.m. on December 23, the club uploaded the final design of the Pietralata stadium to the digital platform of the City of Rome.

A decisive evening on the Capitoline Hill after years of waiting

This moment had been eagerly awaited at the Campidoglio. Some officials joked that the wait had lasted since 2023, as this step formally activates the most decisive phase of the administrative process linked to the new home of the Giallorossi. The submission of the updated plans — revised in line with the recommendations of the Preliminary Conference of Services — allows the project to finally move through Rome’s complex bureaucratic system.

As early as the beginning of 2026, likely immediately after the Christmas and New Year break, the documentation will begin its passage through the City Council commissions, particularly those most sensitive to the project: mobility and environmental committees. There, the stadium plans will be examined in detail with regard to transport access, site connectivity, green space protection, and the overall impact on the surrounding area.

The first major milestone of this administrative journey is expected to be the Capitoline Assembly, where the documents must be converted into a formal resolution confirming that all previously imposed requirements have been fully met. These include the elements that have most significantly driven up the cost of the project — parking facilities, a new road layout around the stadium, and environmental mitigation measures — pushing the estimated budget to around €1.3 billion, nearly double the initial projections.

© AS Roma

Post-holiday administrative marathon and the first “yes” from the City Council

AS Roma hope that the city administration will move efficiently and that City Council approval will be secured between late January and early February 2026. At the same time, the Campidoglio will appoint a delegate to oversee the stadium project in Pietralata, particularly during the most critical procedural stage: the Decisive Conference of Services.

Among the names mentioned for this role is Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, which would represent a strong political endorsement of the project. Other potential candidates include the city’s director general Albino Ruberti and the councillor for urban planning, Maurizio Veloccia. A new approval by the City Council would carry not only technical but also symbolic weight, reaffirming the project’s status as serving the public interest. While this status was already formally recognized in February 2023, confirmation that all institutional and community requirements have now been addressed significantly strengthens the project’s position.

This step would pave the way for the final and most delicate phase of the process: the Decisive Conference of Services, which AS Roma expect to begin in March 2026. Under current regulations, this body has up to 180 days to conclude its work. It will be an intense six-month period, involving representatives from up to 30 different entities — including municipal and regional authorities, national ministries, environmental agencies, heritage protection bodies, and major infrastructure operators such as Anas, Terna, Telecom, and RFI, which manages rail connections.

A single formally justified objection could significantly slow down or alter the process. Early discussions already revealed diverging assessments, particularly regarding archaeological risk in Pietralata. While AS Roma’s feasibility study classified the risk as low to moderate, the national Soprintendenza under the Ministry of Culture adopted a more cautious stance, requesting additional investigations. Meanwhile, the municipal Sovrintendenza issued a favorable opinion. These differing perspectives highlight how complex and fragile the final phase will be. For AS Roma’s new stadium to receive its definitive green light, all these viewpoints will ultimately have to converge into a single, collective yes.

© AS Roma