San Siro:
stands, rings
and where to sit

What kind of ground this is

The ground is formally the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, but the world calls it San Siro, after the district in the north-west of Milan. It opened on 19 September 1926 and holds 75,817 today.

San Siro's recognisable outline came from two rebuilds. In the 1950s a second ring was added above the original stands, reached by spiral ramps inside eleven support towers that are now the arena's signature. For the 1990 World Cup a third tier was raised and the ground was covered by a roof with protruding red girders. The third tier, though, was not built all the way round: it stands on three sides out of four.

Why the home end changes here

San Siro is shared by two clubs, Milan and Inter, which is not the case at any other large ground in Europe. The stands behind the goals are the Curva Sud and the Curva Nord. Traditionally the Curva Sud is home to Milan's active support and the Curva Nord belongs to Inter's.

The practical consequence is that at San Siro you cannot learn once and for all which end is the home end. It depends on who is hosting. At a Milan match the loud home side is the south; at an Inter match it is the north; and in the derby both are full of rival support and the ground splits in half. If you are buying for the atmosphere, tell us not only the match but which side you intend to support.

Three rings: first, second and third

In height San Siro is divided into three rings, and tickets name them exactly that way. The first ring runs at pitch level all the way round and gives closeness to the game. The second ring, added in the 1950s, rises above it and on the side stands gives the familiar broadcast angle.

The third ring is the highest and steepest at the ground, and it carries San Siro's main quirk for a spectator. The climb is long, the rake is pronounced, the whole pitch is in view but the players look small. And it is worth remembering that the third ring does not run all the way round: it was built on three sides, which is why the bowl does not look symmetrical on a plan.

What happens to the ground next

Milan and Inter have bought San Siro from the city and intend to build a new arena beside it holding around 71,500, of which more than 13,000 are premium seats. The project is being led by Foster + Partners and MANICA; the first official renderings were expected around the end of October 2026, construction is planned to start in the second half of 2027, the new ground to open in December 2030 and the old stadium to be demolished between April 2031 and May 2032.

For the coming seasons nothing changes: matches are played at San Siro as before. But if you have been putting off a trip to the Milan derby for the sake of this particular ground, the window is not endless.

Where the view is best at San Siro

The rule is the same as anywhere: nearer the halfway line and play reads more evenly, higher up and the shape of the teams is clearer. What is particular to San Siro is the scale: the bowl is large and tall, so the difference between rings is felt more sharply here than at compact English grounds.

The second ring of a side stand towards the centre gives, in our experience, the best balance: high enough to read the shape, not as remote as the third. The first ring along the touchline gives closeness and sound. The third ring should be chosen deliberately: the view from up there is striking and takes in the whole ground along with the displays on the terraces, but following the game is harder. The curvas are taken for the atmosphere, and on derby night they are the brightest part of the evening.

How the categories map onto San Siro

We work with categories and stands rather than individual seats. At San Siro they map out like this. VIP is hospitality: a seat in a side stand plus a lounge or a box with catering before the match, at half-time and after the whistle. Premium is the central sections of the side stands in the first and second rings. Category 1 is the side stands further from the centre and the second ring. Category 2 is the curvas and the third ring.

How the categories work at any stadium is explained in our article on football ticket categories. What a hospitality package includes and how it differs from an ordinary ticket is covered in the article on hospitality.

Why we confirm a section, not a seat

At San Siro a second reason is added to the usual one. The clubs release the seating closer to the match, as everywhere. But the ground is shared by two clubs with different season ticket programmes, and the set of available sections at a Milan match differs from that at an Inter match. We confirm the category and the stand at booking; the section and the row are fixed later. What else is worth checking before you pay is set out in our article on how to check a ticket reseller.

How to choose a seat at San Siro

• You want a balance of view and distance: the second ring of a side stand, towards the centre of the pitch.
• Closeness to the game matters more: the first ring along the touchline.
• You want the whole ground and the terrace displays: the third ring, though following the game is harder from there.
• For the atmosphere: your club's curva, south for Milan, north for Inter.
• Going to the derby: decide which side you are on in advance, because the ground splits in half that night.

We arrange tickets for matches in Milan through the football section: the Milan derby on 1 November 2026 and Inter against Juventus on 11 January 2027. European nights run separately: Inter against Liverpool on 19 January 2027. Name the match, the number of guests and which side you support, and your concierge confirms which sections are open for that date.