Lotito presents stadium project with an eye on Euro 2032.
SS Lazio president Claudio Lotito on Tuesday unveiled the definitive project for the Italian Serie A club’s transformation of Rome’s Stadio Flaminio which has been closed since 2011.
The ambitious €480 million proposal, formally submitted to the city of Rome which owns the sporting facility, seeks to establish a permanent, 50,000-seat home for the Biancocelesti by 2031.
Designed by Pier Luigi Nervi for ahead of the 1960 Olympic Games, the Stadio Flaminio initially served as a football ground before hosting Italy’s rugby union team from 2000 to 2011.
Stadium within a stadium
The technical heart of the project, designed by architect Marco Casamonti of Studio Archea, employs a “suspended” structural philosophy.
Rather than demolishing the protected 20th-century masterpiece, the new design adds a lightweight upper tier that hovers above the existing concrete stands.
This second ring will be supported by 46 external steel frames, which designers have likened to the “talons of an eagle.”
By spacing these supports 12 metres apart – double the width of the original pillars – the project ensures that the historic silhouette of Nervi’s work remains visible from the exterior.
This approach allows the capacity to jump from the current 20,000 to a total of 50,570 covered seats, meeting the modern requirements for international competition and UEFA Euro 2032.
Economic impact and urban renewal
Key features of this urban integration include a 57,000-sqm Green Belt, with new parkland and “anti-smog” paving designed to improve local air quality.
The plan includes a museum space to house the club’ artefacts and trophies, as well as retail and hospitality sectors intended to make the stadium a 365-day destination rather than a bi-weekly sports venue.
Solving the mobility puzzle
Addressing the long-standing concerns of local residents regarding match-day congestion, the plan proposes a decentralised mobility model.
Primary parking will be shifted to a massive hub at Tor di Quinto, connected to the stadium by a high-frequency shuttle service with a six-minute transit time.
The project also relies on the planned extension of Metro Line C to Farnesina and the implementation of a limited traffic zone to restrict private vehicle access in the immediate neighbourhood for three hours before and after kickoff, favouring pedestrian and public transit flow.
Road to 2031
The submission of the project has triggered the official bureaucratic process under Italy’s Legge Stadi (Stadium Law). The proposal now moves into the “Conferenza dei Servizi” phase, where municipal authorities will evaluate the environmental and structural feasibility.
If the administrative green light is granted by early 2027, construction could begin in the first half of 2027. The club aims for a grand opening by the first half of 2031, positioning the “new” Flaminio as a crown jewel for Rome ahead of the 2032 European Championships.
Lotito seeks peace with fans
During the project’s presentation, the president addressed the ongoing tensions between himself and Lazio fans who have been boycotting home games in an attempt to force him to sell the club.
Acknowledging the criticism, Lotito offered the stadium plan as an olive branch to disgruntled Lazio supporters.
“This project is not meant to divide. It is meant to build something that will last. Every supporter dreams of a full, modern, identity-defining stadium. I dream of it too” – Lotito stated – “But dreams must stand on the legs of sustainability, respect for the rules and economic balance. Lazio must grow without jeopardising what has been built in recent years: stability, solidity and continuity.”
