Police Raid Milan Council Offices Over Controversial San Siro Stadium Sale

Italian tax authorities have raided the offices of Milan’s city council as part of an ongoing investigation into the controversial sale of the iconic San Siro Stadium.

The historic venue, home to Serie A giants AC Milan and Inter Milan, was sold by the council last year, with plans in place for its demolition and redevelopment.

Prosecutors in Milan are reportedly investigating around a dozen individuals on suspicion of bid-rigging and the unlawful disclosure of official secrets.

According to sources close to the investigation, officers seized computers and mobile phones during Tuesday’s operation.

At the centre of the inquiry is whether the structure of the stadium’s sale unfairly favoured private interests—particularly in relation to the redevelopment of the surrounding area—potentially at the expense of the public.

The Guardia di Finanza also carried out searches at the premises of M-I Stadio Srl, the company jointly owned by AC Milan and Inter Milan that manages San Siro.

In addition, authorities targeted the offices and residences of two former city councillors, a city hall manager, a former municipal executive, as well as several former managers and consultants linked to the two football clubs.

The Milan city council had approved the sale of San Siro and its surrounding land to the clubs for €197 million (£171 million), clearing the way for a major redevelopment project estimated at €1.5 billion (£1.3 billion).

This investigation is believed to be an extension of a broader urban planning probe that led to multiple arrests last year, although those arrests were later overturned by Italy’s Supreme Court.

Neither Milan city council, AC Milan, Inter Milan, nor M-I Stadio have issued an official statement regarding the latest developments.

Despite its sale, San Siro remains one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world and was recently used for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Both AC Milan and Inter Milan continue to play their home matches at the venue.