A Serie C team is leading the way into an exciting age for football stadiums in Italy after plans for their stunning new €28million home were rubberstamped.

SS Arezzo’s groundbreaking project will be the first in the country to comply with the 2021 Stadium Law – legislation put in place to simplify and streamline the process of building sports facilities.

But why is this important?

Destination Calcio’s Emmet Gates wrote in these pages back in September about the pressing need for Italy to get moving with stadium renovations before hosting the European Championship in 2032.

The country needs to provide five cities and stadiums by 2026 or risk being stripped of the hosting duties they are sharing with Turkey.

The Juventus Stadium is in shape but the Stadio Olimpico in Rome is in need of improvement and for some time now Roma and Lazio have been looking to move out.

As for Milan, the situation around the San Siro remains unclear, six years after the now-shelved plans to knock down one of the most recognisable homes in football were floated. The stadium is now classified as a historic monument so cannot be demolished, meaning a serious renovation is required.

Down south, the city of Naples would welcome tournament football in 2032 but the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is not fit for purpose as it stands.

Elsewhere, work has started in Florence on the Artemio Franchi but this has been surrounded in controversy. The upgrade was due to be financed by the EU and money handed to Italy as part of the country’s post-pandemic recovery fund. Yet the cash provided by the EU was withheld for the project by the European Commission.

Italy’s problem with building new stadiums has been obvious over the past two decades, with umpteen projects unveiled only to die in political black holes.

But not any more. Under the 2021 Stadium Law, to dramatically speed up the process, cities are now given just 60 days to decide whether a proposal will be given the go-ahead.

Arezzos’ stadium is through the final stages and work is due to begin in 2026 with a scheduled completion date of 2030.

The new, privately funded ground will be approved for Serie A and UEFA standards. With a 12,500 capacity it will be built on the site of their current home.

Back in November when the plans were presented, Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina was quoted in thestadiumbusiness.com saying: “The lack of infrastructure for sports practice is one of the Achilles heels of our country. It is therefore essential to welcome and support far-sighted entrepreneurs who want to invest in this sector. Another important aspect is the full harmony between the club and the local authorities.

“This project, inspired by the most modern standards of sustainability and urban integration, I trust can represent a guarantee of success for the city of Arezzo and for Italian football as a whole.”

Rome-based architects M28studio have drawn up the design for the ground which will replace the Stadio Citta di Arezzo, home to Arezzo since 1961.

Three sides will be knocked down and rebuilt while the main stand will be redeveloped. The main stand will be in use during the construction work, meaning the team can continue to play there.

There are also plans for retail and office space at the complex which has a very English-style feel to it, with the stands much closer to the pitch then many of the famous bowl-shaped grounds up and down the peninsula.

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