FC Lugano agrees new stadium lease deal

Image: FC Lugano

Swiss Super League football club FC Lugano has struck a deal to become the main tenant of the city of Lugano’s new sports and events center.

The club has signed a long-term lease with the city, which includes the assumption of operating costs and most of the maintenance costs for AIL Stadium.

The city council considered the lease to be the best option, similar to other agreements in Switzerland, including the club’s current home, Cornaredo Stadium.

The rent, which is due from January 1, 2027 and will be reduced by half if the club is relegated, has been set at CHF 400,000 ($495,000).

The new stadium is being built as part of the PSE Lugano project, which consists of four sub-projects: The Arena Sportiva (AIL Stadium for 10,000 spectators), the Palazzetto dello Sport (hall for 3,000 spectators for sports events, 4,000 for events), an investor project P2 for administrative facilities and commercial space, and an investor project P3 for residential space.

The construction of the venue is being planned in three phases and will replace the Cornaredo Stadium which has served as the top-flight club’s digs since 1951.

The Cornaredo Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Lugano, Switzerland. It is used mostly for football matches. It is the home ground of FC Lugano.

The stadium is able to hold 15,000 people and was built in 1951. It has 5,000 seats and 10,000 standing places. During the 1954 FIFA World Cup™, it hosted one game.

A change in FC Lugano’s majority shareholder led to an agreement on the new contract terms, which differ from those of the Cornaredo Stadium.

The city determined that FC Lugano’s financial involvement in the stadium development and its greater financial solidarity made it unnecessary to establish a dedicated management company for the stadium.

FC Lugano’s first official match in the new stadium is planned for the start of the 2026-2027 season, as the first construction phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

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