AS Roma's new stadium project has entered a decisive phase following the successful conclusion of the Services Conference, with Massimiliano Umberti, president of the IV Municipality, outlining a clear timeline for the development. The groundbreaking is targeted for April, with construction expected to take two and a half years, allowing Roma to play at the new ground in the 2029-30 season. Umberti told Retesport: "The final 500 metres remain, it is realistic for the groundbreaking to be in April. Everything will be done to make it so. From that point it will take two and a half years: in the 2029-30 season it will be possible to play in the new stadium."
The project carries particular significance for Umberti, who was born and raised in Pietralata. He described the Services Conference approval as the culmination of work spanning over four years: "Yesterday's applause at the end of the conference marks the end of work that has lasted four years, or perhaps even longer, and in a sense it is a dream for my territory. I was born and grew up in Pietralata and I have a clear sense of how this infrastructure can catapult this part of the city toward horizons that seemed unimaginable just a few years ago." Ongoing archaeological excavations in the area are focused on the Castellum Aquae, which will be protected and enhanced as part of the project. Umberti confirmed these operations are routine: "Everything is according to plan. These excavations needed to be completed and Roma is doing so after yesterday's conference."
Mobility is central to the project's vision. Umberti emphasized that the stadium will be accessible without a car through multiple transport options: "You will be able to reach the stadium without a car in every way: metro, bus, bike, trains and tram. We are building major infrastructure that will allow us to reach the stadium without leaving the car at home. Mentality must change a bit—today whoever goes to the Olimpico is used to using a car because there are no alternatives. The paradigm changes for the stadium in Pietralata." He added: "It is almost impossible to have more transport solutions than this to reach the stadium. The paradox was that a zone with all these mobility options had a gap without development and significant degradation. Today we can finally end this dark chapter."
The administration intends the stadium to serve the neighbourhood year-round, not only on matchdays. Umberti outlined a mixed-use vision: "It will be a moment of redemption for the entire territory, considered only a periphery. It will become central—beyond the stadium itself, with parks and various infrastructure. It will not be a stadium only for matches; there will be the possibility of dining, other non-sporting events, walks and socialising with equipped parks. A new concept, the first in Rome to have this type of infrastructure." The Friedkin Group's commitment to the project drew particular praise from Umberti, who highlighted the ownership's consistency: "They are people who do things and speak little. The seriousness of the project has always been evident. The objective has always been the same on the part of the Friedkin. From day one, as an administration, we wanted this grand project to happen for a relaunch at international level. There has been total seriousness, never any hesitation."
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AS Roma's new Pietralata stadium project has cleared its major approval hurdle. The Services Conference has concluded positively and granted unified authorization for construction, marking the end of the lengthy approval phase and opening the path to groundbreaking. All outlets agree the project will proceed to detailed design work over the coming months, with archaeological surveys continuing as required. The new stadium will have a capacity of 60,605 spectators, including approximately 23,000 seats in the Curva Sud, and is designed as a mixed-use venue featuring dining, parks, entertainment and social spaces beyond matchdays. Transport accessibility will be central to the design, with the ground reachable by metro, bus, bike, train and tram—a significant shift from the car-dependent experience at the current Olimpico.
The outlets differ on the groundbreaking timeline. Roma News and Retesport report that Massimiliano Umberti, president of the IV Municipality, targeted April for the groundbreaking with construction lasting two and a half years, positioning the stadium's opening for the 2029–30 season. However, GialloRossi.net and Forza Roma report a March 2027 target for laying the foundation stone, with completion by late 2029 under a similar construction duration. Before groundbreaking can occur, Roma and the municipal administration must complete the executive project incorporating all Services Conference requirements, conduct parallel public tenders—including a public-private partnership procedure for detailed design, construction and management—finalize expropriations of necessary private land, and complete archaeological work. Massimo Sessa's appointment as Euro 2032 Stadium Commissioner has reportedly accelerated authorization processes. Umberti, who grew up in Pietralata, described the project as transformative for an area long viewed as peripheral and praised the Friedkin Group's consistent seriousness and commitment from day one.
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Testo Originale / Source Text
“Il nuovo stadio della Roma entra nella fase decisiva e da Pietralata arrivano indicazioni sempre più precise sui tempi. Dopo la conclusione positiva della Conferenza dei servizi decisoria, il presidente del IV Municipio Massimiliano Umberti è intervenuto in esclusiva ai microfoni di Retesport per…”
Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.
