Roma's Pietralata stadium gets final green light

Francesco Totti marked his 50th birthday on 27 September with a letter published in Il Messaggero, reflecting on a lifetime devoted to AS Roma and the realisation of a childhood dream. Writing from abroad, Totti recalled playing as a child with his brother Riccardo at the Terme di Caracalla, his journey from boy to man in giallorosso, and his captaincy of the club. "I'm satisfied," he wrote. "I fulfilled a dream, my dream, that of a Roman who managed to play only in his city's team, wearing the captain's armband." A central passage addressed his decision not to return to playing. A couple of years ago, Totti explained, he turned down the chance to come back on the pitch. "I was tempted, I admit it, but then the bond with my city, my squad and my people made me say no. And I think in the end I made the right choice. I would perhaps have been selfish, made Francesco happy but disappointed millions of fans." The letter balanced reflection on his achievements—a World Cup in 2006 and, more significantly to him, the Serie A title with Roma in 2001—with personal touches. He joked about his age: "When I blew out the candles for my 50th, I said to myself: Is it really true? To be honest, I don't feel it. Maybe it's because I keep myself in shape with padel and some five-a-side. In my head, though, I always have half, 25." Totti spoke warmly of his three children and noted that passing a mural of himself on via Sibari near the Romulea pitch in Porta Metronia—the neighbourhood of his birth—never fails to move him. "It's a feeling you can't explain. You can only live it. As a Roman and a Romanista."

AS Roma has received formal planning approval for its new stadium at Pietralata following a conference of services concluded today. Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri announced the clearance and expressed optimism about the project timeline. He said: "It is a historic day. After four years of work, we only lacked formal approval for the project. Now it is certain, the stadium will be built and will be one of the most beautiful in the world." Gualtieri outlined an accelerated schedule for construction. The groundbreaking is planned for March 2027, with a construction period of two and a half years, potentially allowing the stadium to be ready by the end of 2029—ahead of the original 2031 completion date. The mayor stated: "Now we will begin the tender process. All the conditions are in place to lay the foundation stone in March 2027. The construction site lasts two and a half years, so the stadium could be ready by the end of 2029."

Roma have received official approval for a new stadium at Pietralata after Commissioner Sessa announced the release of the single authorization from the decisive Services Conference. The club now targets the laying of the first stone by March 2027, following clearance from all involved authorities. Currently Roma's annual revenue stands at approximately 270–300 million euros, roughly half that of Serie A's biggest clubs Inter, Juventus and Milan. With the new Pietralata stadium, the Friedkin Group expects revenues to reach 460–470 million euros annually. Based on the latest available accounts for Milan and Juventus—which still include Champions League income—Roma would surpass both clubs and approach Inter's turnover, the highest among Serie A teams. The revenue gap with Europe's absolute elite remains significant, such as Paris Saint-Germain at 837 million euros in 2024–25, but the stadium would propel Roma from a mid-sized club into Europe's top 10–15 by economic measure. This financial transformation aligns with recent on-pitch progress under Gasperini's management, as Roma have begun competing for the Serie A title and European prominence. The new stadium represents a watershed moment, allowing the club's ambitions to transition from aspiration towards tangible reality.