Naples – The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium is preparing for a momentous transformation. The ambitious and clear goal is to increase the Fuorigrotta stadium's capacity to 68-70 spectators, in preparation for Naples's key role in the 2032 European Championships.
The masterplan was outlined by the city's Infrastructure Councillor, Edoardo Cosenza, in a Facebook post detailing the project, which has already been delivered to SSC Napoli and presented to the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and UEFA.
At the heart of the plan is the restoration of the third ring, closed for 21 years due to vibration problems. This project, Cosenza assures, is already funded by the Municipality and is in the planning phase. This project alone would create approximately 10.000 additional seats between the Curve and Distinti areas.
"There's still work to be done, but we'll do it anyway," the councilor promised, also dismissing criticisms about visibility from the higher stands: "The distance between the seats in the third tier is less than that of the topmost seats at both the Olympic Stadium in Rome and the Maracanã in Rio," stadiums that were used as models for their structural design.
The Maradona Stadium revolution doesn't stop there. The project also includes eliminating the current first tier to create a single structure that connects to the second, dramatically improving visibility and freeing up new volumes below.
This operation follows the example of the redevelopment of the Brazilian football temple in 2013. The end result will be a stadium much closer to the pitch, a request also strongly supported by new coach Antonio Conte and supported by UEFA guidelines.
Significant work will also be done on the roof. The one built for Italia '90, Cosenza explains, has a "very strong" steel structure that will allow it to be extended by three bays, reducing the uncovered area to levels lower than those of the Olimpico and slightly higher than those of the Maracana. "A very good level of coverage; more than this, given Naples' climate, would be dangerous for the lawn," the councilor specifies, announcing studies with agronomists.
On the energy front, a 25-30 mXNUMX photovoltaic system will be installed on the roof, a "major power plant" that could create a significant energy community, impossible in stadiums with less solid roofs.
The project has already received initial, informal approval from football's governing bodies. According to Cosenza, the FIGC and UEFA have not submitted written opinions, but in a meeting they described the presentation as "interesting and intelligent." The path to the new Maradona is now clear.
The Maradona Stadium project is highly ambitious and appears to be capable of significant improvements. However, there are many unknowns that must be considered, such as the completion time and the expected costs of future work.